BRASILIA, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday called on the United States to use more political influence to help solve the Honduran crisis. Zelaya, who was in Brazil for a visit, ...
| ... after having been escorted out of Mexico ... |
... called on the U.S. government to take more measures such as trade sanctions against the Honduran interim government. 70 percent of the Honduran economy depends on the United States.
Reaffirming his support for Zelaya's "immediate and unconditional" return to Honduras, Lula said he would talk to his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama on the issue at an appropriate time. But there wasn't a date set for the conversation between the two leaders.
"Thanks Mel, I'll call Bambi on this and see what I can do."
"When will you call him?"
"Umm, sometime ..." |
After the meeting, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celson Amorim told the press that Zelaya's return would largely depend on the position of the United States.
"President Lula said that clearly we are concerned by the delay (of Zelaya's return), because as time passes, the possibility that President Zelaya's legitimate elections (scheduled for November) is weakening," Amorim said.
Zelaya was expected to end his term as president at year-end.
"This depends on what the United States will act," Amorim said. "It must be a multilateral action. We believe that actions should be conducted by the OAS (Organization of American States)."
Zelaya arrived in Brasilia Tuesday and was welcomed by the Brazilian government with honors for a head of state. He will leave Thursday morning for Chile to meet with President Michelle Bachelet.
| He'll collect another meaningless promise. Bachelet is way too smart to hook up with a loser when Chile has the US market to sell to. |
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