Honduras's Micheletti says only invasion will reinstate Zelaya
Last Updated: Wednesday, July 1, 2009 | 11:25 PM ET
The Associated Press

It would take a foreign invasion to return the ousted president of Honduras to power, said the country's newly installed president, Roberto Micheletti, who assumed power following a military coup Sunday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Micheletti vowed that Manuel Zelaya would be arrested if he returned to Honduras, even though the presidents of Argentina and Ecuador have agreed to accompany him, along with the heads of the Organization of American States and the UN General Assembly.

"He can no longer return to the presidency of the republic unless a president from another Latin American country comes and imposes him using guns," Micheletti said.

Zelaya was ousted Sunday by the army, which opposed his efforts to institute constitutional reform.

Micheletti, installed by the country's national congress, also made a bold claim suggesting the entire Honduran population backs his interim government.

Though Zelaya still enjoys strong support, especially among the poor majority, Micheletti warned that all "7.5 million Hondurans will be ready to defend our territory" against a foreign invasion.

His foreign minister, Enrique Ortez, also threatened Zelaya's escorts, saying: "We will let his companions enter if they represent friendly countries. If not, no."

While thousands of Hondurans demonstrated Wednesday for the return of Zelaya, thousands more rallied in favour of the military-backed government.

France, Spain, Italy, Chile and Colombia joined other nations Wednesday in recalling their ambassadors. The Pentagon suspended joint U.S.-Honduran military operations, and the World Bank said it was freezing loans.

The three Latin American countries that border Honduras — Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala — have suspended cross-border trade.

Soldiers stormed Zelaya's residence and flew him into exile Sunday after he insisted on trying to hold a referendum on constitutional reform. The Supreme Court, congress and the military all deemed his planned ballot illegal. Zelaya backed down Tuesday, saying he will no longer push for constitutional changes.

Seeking to stem internal unrest, congress approved a bill Wednesday that toughens a curfew in place since the coup. The law gives authorities the power to conduct warrantless arrests and removes constitutional rights of assembly and movement during the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew.

Both sides of the dispute mobilized supporters in the streets Wednesday, with a pro-Zelaya march in the capital and pro-Micheletti demonstrations in other cities. No violence was reported.

Leftist broadcasters say they have been forced off the air or had signals interrupted by soldiers under orders of the new government. Micheletti said he would look into the allegations.

The Organization of American States gave Micheletti until Saturday to step aside before Honduras is suspended from the group, an ultimatum Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza said was meant "to show clearly that military coups will not be accepted. We thought we were in an era when military coups were no longer possible in this hemisphere."

Zelaya delayed plans to return Thursday to let that deadline play out.

"I'm going to respect those 72 hours that the OAS asked for," he said from Panama, where he attended a presidential inauguration.

The coup has been condemned by countries worldwide from across the political spectrum, as well as by the UN General Assembly.

The Obama administration has also sided clearly with Zelaya, despite criticism from Republicans that this puts it on the same side as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and the Castros in Cuba. Micheletti told the AP he has had no contacts with any U.S. official since the coup.
© The Canadian Press, 2009
The Canadian Press

he will support a third world thug like Zelaya.

Wait - where is the ourage over US "Imperialism"?

You're PROUD of Obama meddling in another country's afairs now? Wait - which side of which argument are you on? LOL! Do you even know?

It's very interesting how Republican support for democracy suddenly flies out the window when it means being "on the same side" (that would be the side of democracy in this case) as Chavez and Castro.

Apparently, military coups are preferrable to democracy in their minds in such circumstances.

Yea I get it - HYPOCRISY in the name of political expediency!

It's very interesting how Republican support for democracy suddenly flies out the window when it means being "on the same side" (that would be the side of democracy in this case) as Chavez and Castro.

Apparently, military coups are preferrable to democracy in their minds in such circumstances.

You don't get it there bud... I haven't said I disagree with his position... That is YOU trying desperately to put words in my mouth... I'm just cracking up over the fact that no liberals are screaming about "imperialism"

Oh please, do educate us and tell us all just how he earns the title "thug".

as Zelaya was attempting an illegal referendum to change the Honduran constitution so he could run for another term.

Does he prefer hostile democracies to friendly autocrats?

It's very interesting how Republican support for democracy suddenly flies out the window when it means being "on the same side" (that would be the side of democracy in this case) as Chavez and Castro.

Apparently, military coups are preferrable to democracy in their minds in such circumstances.

Do we have any vital strategic or economic interest in Honduras? If not, then why bother to comment one way or the other.

Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., introduced legislation in the House to repeal the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which limits presidents to two consecutive terms or 10 years in office. Serrano’s justification for the bill is that, until 1951, nothing prevented a president from serving more than two terms.

Additionally, a grass-roots movement is under way to make Obama's third term possible. A Web site, End22.com, is dedicated to abolishing the 22nd Amendment and is asking supporters for donations to make it happen.

because the people demand it, because the people want it, because the people love it

We should support there decision.

...Republican support for democracy suddenly flies out the window when it means being "on the same side" (that would be the side of democracy in this case)...

...military coups are preferrable to democracy in their minds...

Yea, we pretty much like to follow the rules of law, and the constitution.

I agree with you saguy, it is Honduras' decision on whom they want as president. It's not chavez, castro, or obama decisions to make. Honduras is still a democratic country.
Since I don't know all the laws of Honduras, I'm just going to take there word that zelaya broke the law, and he is charged with crimes. I believe the congress in Honduras said they would put him on trial, if he comes back.
I just don't know why obama is taking the side of chavez, castro, and ortega. Maybe he's wanting to score points with them? Maybe he thinks they are just real good, smart guys? Maybe his inexperience in foreign matters are getting the best of him, and he's just taking their lead? Maybe it's just because obama is a socialist, and he thinks every nation should be socialist?

Teenager killed in Honduras as soldiers fire on Zelaya supporters at airport
Hannah Strange in Tegucigalpa

Shoes from the wounded marked the trail to the makeshift shrine at Honduras international airport, where flowers and an icon of Jesus lay in a pool of blood.

“The soldiers are terrorists” declared a note there. “Murderers!” screamed the protesters massed behind the torn metal fence surrounding the airstrip. Minutes earlier, soldiers had stepped through the fence and sprayed gunfire into the crowd, killing a teenager and wounding at least 30 people.

The demonstrators had massed at the airport to await the arrival of the ousted President, Manuel Zelaya, on Sunday afternoon. He had urged them to greet him as he attempted to return to Honduras after being forced to flee a week earlier. Those behind the coup said that Mr Zelaya had been trying illegally to amend the Constitution to allow him to run for re-election — a charge he denies. The interim government had warned that it would not let Mr Zelaya land, but about ten thousand supporters surged through the capital anyway. They were halted by police and soldiers along the way but, one by one, the army lines pulled back as protest organisers negotiated their advance. It was a peaceful demonstration, the frustrations kept in check by a carnival atmosphere, with music and ice-cream sellers weaving through the crowd.

A rumour had spread that the military were prepared to fire on protesters, but nobody believed it.

“They’re just trying to intimidate us,” one organiser urged through a loudspeaker. The mood remained calm as the crowds reached the airport, where soldiers and military vehicles blocked the runway. A few demonstrators began to tear at the metal fence separating them from the airstrip, but others pulled them back and no attempt was made to enter.

Then several soldiers walked through and began firing indiscriminately. Isis Murillo, 19, was killed; around him, protesters began running, or dropping as they were hit.

“It was chaos, we didn’t know what was happening,” said Dariela Pineda, 29. Standing by the shrine amid trails of blood, she pleaded with The Times to “tell the world what is happening to us. We need help, we need international intervention.”

At about 5.20pm, the protesters stopped to cheer as Mr Zelaya’s aircraft circled low overhead, but as military reinforcements grouped on the runway it was forced to abort its landing, instead flying to neighbouring Nicaragua and then to El Salvador.

There, flanked by a host of Latin American leaders, including Cristina Kirchner of Argentina and Rafael Correa of Ecuador, Mr Zelaya implored his country’s military to “stop repressing the Honduran people”.

Few heard his call, however, with the TV signal cut as the interim government tightened a media blackout. None of the Honduran news channels — all of them supportive of the coup — reported the events at the airport or Mr Zelaya’s attempted landing. Instead, they gave over the airwaves to the new “President”, Roberto Micheletti, speaking from the presidential palace. He insisted that his government “did not want one drop of blood spilled”.

Across the border, Mr Zelaya discussed his next move with regional leaders and heads of international organisations, all of whom have roundly condemned the coup. But despite its isolation, the new government shows no signs of relenting. “We are the authentic representatives of the people,” Mr Micheletti said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6652940.ece

Uh, you realize that the military coup ousted an *elected* president?

And Obama sided with the people who are protesting the coup?

"banana republic"

chavez? castro? ortega? Or did you mean the Hondurans in the streets protesting? The ones who didn't start protesting until the liberal media got there.