The Constitution of Honduras contains some strange things.

Sir I refer to your reports on the current situation in Honduras. Are you aware that one of the articles in the Constitution of Honduras actually states that you will “lose your conditions as a citizen if inciting, promoting or supporting continuance or the re-election of the President.” This, though sounding a bit crazy, could be indicative of that the whole issue of a re-election, towards which Manuel Zelaya was undoubtedly striving, is more of an existential issue in Honduras, and which if so would oblige us as a minimum to look much more carefully into what is really happening there.

Come on Europe, wave away gloom

Published in FT, June 8, 2005

Sir, For those who believe that the world needs Europe more than ever, the latest events are very disconcerting, not so much because of the No votes themselves but more so because of the ensuing reactions.

 

What a gloom! After the incredible advancements of a Europe over past decades it is unbelievable how this little setback could create so much fuss. 

The votes on a messy, too voluminous, uninspiring and basically unreadable document, was an as- good-as-it-gets opportunity to grunt a bit about bureaucracy, but now they allow the same bureaucrats to deflect this perfect valid criticism by equating the votes with a rejection of Europe. 

Europe, pick yourself up! Just wrest whatever Delacroix’s flags are waived from the current bearers, and keep moving on. We will be cheering.