CRISIS IN HONDURAS
Interim Honduran President To Send
Delegation For Talks With OAS
Tegucigalpa - The caretaker president of
Honduras said Tuesday he would send a
delegation to Washington for talks with the
Organization of American States (OAS).
Roberto Micheletti told a press conference
in Tegucigalpa that the delegation,
consisting of politicians, business leaders,
lawyers and farmers, will travel to the
headquarters of the OAS in Washington
Wednesday on behalf of his government.
The delegation would also explain to Jose
Miguel Insulza, the OAS secretary general,
"what really happened" in Honduras,
Micheletti said.
Honduran soldiers stormed the presidential
palace and flew President Manuel Zelaya into
exile in Costa Rica early Sunday. The coup
came after Zelaya insisted on trying to hold
a referendum asking Hondurans if they wanted
to reform the constitution even though the
Supreme Court, Congress and the military all
deemed it illegal.
Later on Sunday, the Honduran legislature
voted to appoint Micheletti, head of the
legislature, as president to serve out
Zelaya's term, which ends in January.
Insulza, who strongly condemned the military
coup, said OAS members will not recognize
the Micheletti government, adding that he
will accompany Zelaya on his planned return
to Tegucigalpa on Thursday.
The United Nations, the Obama administration
and leaders around the world also have
condemned the military uprising and refused
to recognize Micheletti's government.
The new Honduran government said it will
arrest Zelaya if he returns to the country.
The World Bank, meanwhile, announced Tuesday
that it would stop disbursing 270 million
U.S. dollars in loans to Honduras until the
situation stabilized.
In addition, Honduras' neighbors have halted
cross-border trade and the Central American
Bank for Economic Integration has stopped
disbursements of any new loans to the
Micheletti government.
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