VOA标准英语2009年-Honduras Presses Brazil Over Refuge to Ous

By Brian Wagner
Tegucigalpa
28 September 2009

 
Honduras ousted¹ President Manuel Zelaya speaks at George Washington University's Latin American and Hemispheric Studies Program in Washington, 02 Sep 2009
 
The Honduran de facto government is pressing Brazil about its decision to grant refuge to ousted President Manuel Zelaya at its embassy in Tegucigalpa. The Honduran capital, where the ousted leader is seeking to return to power.

Honduran officials asked Brazil's government to respond, within 10 days, to define the status of ousted President Zelaya, who has been living in the Brazilian embassy for nearly a week. Interim² officials have criticized Mr. Zelaya for secretly entering the country and using the Brazilian embassy as safe haven³ to call on his supporters to hold demonstrations⁴.

The de facto government's foreign minister, Carlos Lopez, said Sunday that Brazil's government bears some responsibility for the current situation.

Lopez says someone at the embassy allowed Mr. Zelaya to enter the building, so Brazil is directly responsible.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva rejects what he calls an ultimatum⁵ from a coup⁶ government. The Brazilian leader has said Mr. Zelaya is welcome to remain in the embassy as long as he likes.

Lopez also announced plans to revoke⁷ the diplomatic status of the Brazilian embassy, because the government in Brasilia has refused to recognize the de facto government. But he stressed that officials do not plan to enter the compound to carry out the order to remove the diplomatic seal or seize Mr. Zelaya.

Lopez says Brazil acted first to break relations with the current government in Honduras. He says, now, his officials are taking reciprocal action.

Officials also plan action to revoke the diplomatic status of delegations⁸ from Spain, Mexico, Argentina and Venezuela, which do not recognize the current government. Lopez says diplomats⁹ from those countries should hand over their credentials¹⁰ in coming days.

Also Sunday, Honduran officials refused entry to four delegates from the Organization of American States who arrived at the airport in Tegucigalpa. A fifth delegate from Chile was allowed to enter on a mission to prepare for the arrival of a high-level group of mediators. OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza condemned¹¹ the action, saying it was a threat to peace efforts in Honduras.

Foreign Minister Lopez says the OAS delegates had been told, in advance, they would be refused entry to the country. Last week, the de facto government turned down an OAS request to send foreign ministers to mediate¹² an end to the political crisis. Instead, Honduras has backed a visit by Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias¹³ to mediate talks between Mr. Zelaya and the de facto government.

Three months ago, the Honduran Supreme¹⁴ Court stripped power from Mr. Zelaya, who was seized by military forces and removed from the country. He is demanding to return to power and finish the remaining four months of his term. The de facto government has rejected the demand, saying Mr. Zelaya is facing 18 criminal charges, including treason.

1 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

2 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

3 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

4 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

5 ultimatum   

n.最后通牒

参考例句：

• This time the proposal was couched as an ultimatum.这一次该提议是以最后通牒的形式提出来的。
• The cabinet met today to discuss how to respond to the ultimatum.内阁今天开会商量如何应对这道最后通牒。

6 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

7 revoke   

v.废除，取消，撤回

参考例句：

• The university may revoke my diploma.大学可能吊销我的毕业证书。
• The government revoked her husband's license to operate migrant labor crews.政府撤销了她丈夫管理外来打工人群的许可证。

8 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

9 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

11 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

12 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。

13 arias   

n.咏叹调( aria的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Can you pick out the operatic arias quoted in this orchestral passage? 你能听出这段管弦乐曲里有歌剧式的咏叹调吗？ 来自辞典例句
• The actions are large and colour, there are arias and recitatives. 动作夸张而华美，有唱段也有宣叙部。 来自辞典例句

14 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。