Honduras'
Interim Government Lifts Curfew
Tegucigalpa - The interim
government on Friday lifted a curfew imposed
in most of Honduras after a coup that ousted
President Manuel Zelaya.
However, the curfew, imposed since the June
28 coup, was maintained in areas around
Honduras' border with Nicaragua to guard
against Zelaya's return.
Government spokesman Rene Zepeda said the
curfew would continue in El Paraiso in the
east, and Concepcion de Maria, El Triunfo
and Guasaule in the south, from 6 p.m. (0000
GMT) to 6 a.m. (1200 GMT).
Honduras plunged into a political crisis
when Zelaya was forced into exile after
angering the army, the legislature and
judiciary by seeking a constitutional
amendment that would allow him to seek
re-election. Zelaya had denied such
intention.
Meanwhile, Zelaya, whose return to Honduras
as president has been rejected by the
interim government, continued his efforts to
garner international support. He was to
visit Mexico next week at the invitation of
President Felipe Calderon.
The Mexican Foreign Ministry said in a
communique that Zelaya will arrive in Mexico
on Tuesday to discuss the situation in
Honduras with Calderon.
Calderon and Zelaya will also discuss the
mediation process led by Costa Rican
President Oscar Arias, "which has a strong
support from the international community."
The Mexican government "condemned since the
first moment of the coup" and "has
repeatedly expressed its total support to
the constitutional government led by
President Jose Manuel Zelaya," the ministry
said.
Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa
urged the reconciliation between the
Honduran interim government and Zelaya.
The reconciliation between the two sides is
for the good of all the Honduran people,
Espinosa said.
The interim government has to realize that
isolation is not an option, she said, adding
that "it has to modify its position and
allow the return to power of the ousted
president."
She also said mediator Costa Rican President
Oscar Arias' reconciliation plan would allow
democratic order to be restored in Honduras
through Zelaya's return to power.
However, Honduras' interim government on
Friday toughened its stance, threatening
"reciprocal" measures after the U.S. embassy
revoked visas for four Honduran officials.
"None of the people whose visas were
canceled have committed crimes of
corruption, terrorism, drug trafficking,
embezzlement or others," the ministry said.
The United States has refused to recognize
the government led by post-coup leader
Roberto Micheletti. The U.S. said it was
reviewing the visas of all officials in
Honduras' interim government.
Meanwhile, Zelaya's wife Xiomara Castro
returned to capital Tegucigalpa on Friday
and joined a demonstration against the
interim government.
Castro had been in border town El Paraiso
since July 24 with her daughter and other
relatives as the interim government
prevented them from crossing the border to
the Nicaraguan side to join Zelaya.
Hundreds of Zelaya's followers Friday
blocked key highways leading to Tegucigalpa
for a second day after demonstrations the
day before were dispersed by police.
On Thursday, at least six people were
injured and 88 were detained during
demonstrations. Police have said they will
immediately disperse any kind of protests.
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