DeMint holds up nominations over Honduras coup

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) delayed committee votes on two State Department posts today over objections to the administration’s policy towards Honduras, Reuters reports.

DeMint, who believes the recent coup in Honduras was legal, asked to delay votes on the nominations of (1) Arturo Valenzuela to be Assistant Secretary of State for western hemisphere affairs and (2) Thomas Shannon to be Ambassador to Brazil. Shannon currently holds the westerh hemisphere post, and Valenzuela would be his replacement when he ships off to Brazil.

Committee members are customarily granted requests for delays on nomination votes.

The Senate Foreign Relations committee will likely vote on the nominations next week, by which time DeMint hopes the administration will reconsider its support for ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya.