A Short Referendum in Honduras

Readers of this space will recall our previous commentary on the Honduran referendum scheduled for today. The question on the ballot was whether or not to rewrite the Honduran constitution. Critics had suggested that the primary motivation for the constitutional replacement was an extension of President Zelaya’s term in office. Whatever the motivation, the results are in. The military, it seems, had the most influential (and only) vote: before the polls opened this morning, the military swept into the presidential palace, deposed the president, and engineered the selection of his replacement by the legislature. All in defense of the constitution, according to a statement by the Honduran Supreme Court. The constitution, it appears, has “survived.”