Honduran
Ousted President's Return
Seems Faraway As Interim Government Remains
Unyielding
Tegucigalpa - The days
when Honduran ousted president Manuel Zelaya
is restored to power seem remote as the
interim government remains reluctant to
compromise under international pressure.
Zelaya has won wide support from many Latin
American countries since the June 28 coup
that threw him out of office and forced him
into exile.
Venezuela, Costa Rica and Chile even
expelled Honduran diplomats as requested by
Zelaya.
Yet, the de facto government led by congress
leader Roberto Micheletti did not flinch,
but adopted a tough stance.
On July 21, Honduras ordered the Venezuelan
diplomatic mission to leave Tegucigalpa and
its own diplomats representatives to
withdraw from Caracas within 72 hours.
Then the post-coup government on Wednesday
demanded that Argentine diplomats leave the
country by Friday, apparently in retaliation
for Argentina's earlier decision to expel
Honduran ambassador for her support for the
June 28 coup.
Tegucigalpa on Tuesday issued an ultimatum
for Argentine diplomats in Honduras to leave
the country, but Argentina rejected it,
saying "the democratic government of
Honduras (of Zelaya) has not said anything."
Moreover, Honduran interim government has
also resisted pressure from international
bodies.
After it quit the Organization of American
States (OAS) on July 3, Honduras is
considering withdrawing from the Bolivarian
Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), local
press reported on Tuesday.
Micheletti even said that he did not care
whether the elections in November were
recognized by ALBA or not.
"Commercial relations are more important
than diplomatic ones and Honduras'
commercial trade with ALBA countries is not
much, so whether they recognize the
elections or not is not an issue very
important to us," Micheletti said.
Meanwhile, Zelaya has been on a shuttle
diplomacy through Latin America to enlist
international support for him and bring
pressure on the interim government.
Zelaya said last Thursday in Chile that the
solution of Honduras' political crisis
depends to a large extent on U.S. position.
He hoped that Washington could put more
pressure on the interim government, though
the Obama Administration has condemned the
coup.
The Obama administration has cut off
millions of dollars in aid to Honduras in a
bid to press for Zelaya's reinstatement.
Now, it seems the post-coup mediation has
moved to Washington.
A delegation of the de facto Honduran
government officials arrived in Washington
on Monday to continue dialogue with the OAS
aimed at finding a solution to the crisis.
The delegation also met with some U.S. State
Department officials.
State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said
the U.S. officials met with them and tried
to work "toward restoration of democratic
and constitutional power in Honduras."
But he said the meeting "in no way is meant
to imply any kind of acceptance of the de
facto regime in Tegucigalpa."
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton also told reporters that the United
States supports the peaceful restoration of
democracy in Honduras and the return of
Zelaya.
"We continue to believe in the need for a
negotiated solution," Clinton said.
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