WASHINGTON, D.C. -Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) released the following statement today in response to Secretary of State Clinton's announcement that the Administration will suspend aid to Honduras as the result of the June 28th coup that ousted President Zelaya:
"Today, Secretary of State Clinton announced that the United States is suspending financial aid to the Honduran government and revoking the U.S. visas of supporters of the coup. I applaud the Administration's decision. The events of June 28 were indeed a coup d'etat - as the Secretary determined -- and I strongly support Costa Rican President Arias's efforts to restore democracy with the conditioned return of President Zelaya. The coup regime has engaged in undemocratic practices that cast a dark shadow over elections scheduled for November. Those elections will lack legitimacy unless the regime embraces and faithfully implements the San Jose Accord proposed by President Arias. The termination of aid to the government and the suspension of regime supporters' visas are unfortunate but necessary results of the regime's intransigence."
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