Former Anderson man reports on Honduras politics and 'impeachment'

Add "military coup" to the list of adventures that former Anderson resident Robert Gallardo has lived through since moving to Honduras.

"I have survived Hurricane Mitch, car theft, earthquakes, near misses with venomous snakes, botflies, dengue fever (and other tropical diseases) and now an impeachment," the 1986 Anderson High School grad writes in a recent e-mail from Honduras.

While much of the international community and the United States considers President Manuel Zelaya's ouster a "military coup," Gallardo said Zelaya was legally impeached and ordered from the country to avoid more conflict.

"Most of us are actually not calling it a coup, but an impeachment. If this had happened in a developing country, it would have been called an impeachment. Here, the military was just following a court order and are not and never were in power," he wrote.

Gallardo, who lives in Capon, said this week that there have been some road closures and many government agencies are closed.

"Although there have been some curfews placed, I do believe that is to prevent raiding stores," he said. "There are some demonstrations here and there, but most are peaceful."

Gallardo, 41, moved to Honduras after graduating from Humboldt State University. He and his wife, Irma, live about 200 miles from the capital of Tegucigalpa. He is a freelance tour guide who takes groups through Mayan ruins in the area. He also produces CDs of bird calls and bird identification books.

In addition to his mother, Gallardo also has two brothers who live in Shasta County. Gallardo's mother, Ellie, said her son called her shortly after Zelaya's ouster to let her know he was safe.

Ellie Gallardo said she visited Honduras in February and March and could tell trouble was brewing with Zelaya because he was too chummy with Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.

"A president and a dictator just cannot be hanging out together," she said.

World leaders, including President Barack Obama, have told the new rulers of the Central American country to restore Zelaya to his position.

The Organization of American States has threatened to suspend Honduras from the organization if it doesn't allow Zelaya back into office.

Enrique Ortez, interim foreign minister, said Zelaya would be arrested if he came home and that the interim authorities were sure Zelaya had been removed in a legal process, according to Reuters.