From top: Chavez, Bain, Zelaya, Venezuelan forces.
Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was
ousted in military coup, and
exiled to Costa Rica, this morning. Roberto Micheletti Bain, has replaced Zelaya. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has put the military on alert, vowing to use military force, if necessary, to replace Zelaya.
Honduras has a population of 7.5m, and maintains an
active military force of 8,300 with 60,000 reserves. In 2002 there were 5,500 in the army, 1,800 in the air force, and 1,000 in the navy, including 400 marines. Paramilitary public security forces numbered 6,000 personnel. The US maintains a small military presence in Honduras.
Venezuela has a population of 26.5m and has
600,000 soldiers in four service branches--the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), also called National Guardia Nationale.
Should Honduras and Venezuela go to war, then Trinidad and Tobago-eight miles off Venezela’s coastline-will definitely feel the consequences. Perhaps our National Security Council met today and discussed our national defense plans with this latest scenario in mind. Could the NSC spokesperson please address the nation on this issue?
Got preps?