| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Caribbean-Latin America | |
| Clashes in Honduras as Zelaya tries to return | |
| 2009-07-06 | |
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (CNN) -- Honduran troops used tear gas and fired shots into the air to hold back protesters at Tegucigalpa's airport Sunday evening ahead of an attempted return by deposed President Jose Manuel Zelaya, injuring at least one person, protest organizers said.
Zelaya was en route to Tegucigalpa on Sunday evening, and several thousand supporters gathered outside the airport in expectation of his arrival. But Civil Aviation Director Alfredo San Martin said in a radio address that the ousted leader's flight would be barred from landing in Honduras and diverted to El Salvador. At a news conference, provisional President Roberto Micheletti said Zelaya's return could create unrest in a country that has seen demonstrators for both sides in the streets since the June 28 military-led coup that sent Zelaya into exile. "I don't want a single drop of blood to be spilled in Honduras," Micheletti said. At the same moment, speaking from aboard a small jet that was transporting him from Washington to the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, Zelaya told Telesur TV that he intended to land in his native country. "I am the commander in chief of the armed forces elected by the people, and I ask the armed forces to comply with this order to open up the airport and avoid any problems with the landing," Zelaya said. Zelaya was accompanied by United Nations General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto. A delegation supporting Zelaya, including the head of the Organization of American States and Presidents Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina, Rafael Correa of Ecuador and Fernando Lugo of Paraguay, were to fly on a separate plane heading to neighboring El Salvador. In a conference call with journalists, senior U.S. administration officials -- who insisted on anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivities -- said that Zelaya is expected to be back in Washington Monday, if he is denied entry, to continue conversations at the Organization of American States. Sunday's political standoff follows a vote Saturday by the OAS to suspend Honduras from the organization after the provisional government failed to respond to a 72-hour deadline to restore Zelaya as president. The OAS had demanded Zelaya's return in a resolution. Following a visit to Honduras, OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza said he found Micheletti's government "extremely firm" and "inflexible." Micheletti and his supporters have repudiated the characterization of the transfer of power as a coup. The provisional government maintains the military action against Zelaya was backed by a court order and that arrest warrants have been issued against him for violating the constitution. In his remarks Sunday, Micheletti extended a diplomatic branch to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, two of Zelaya's closest allies. Micheletti also said small groups of Nicaraguan soldiers were mobilizing on the Honduran border, something that Ortega denied. Micheletti said his government was open to "good faith" talks with the OAS, but reiterated that his government was legitimate and would not be moved. "We are going to remain here until the country becomes calm," he said. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 Is this the same incident I referred to with the video question before the witching hour? If so that would explain why the "gun shots" really didn't sound like gun fire. Rather tear gas. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2009-07-06 00:25 |