CRISIS IN HONDURAS
Honduran Interim Government Announces To
Quit OAS
Tegucigalpa -
Honduras' interim government announced
Friday that the country decided to quit from
the Organization of American States (OAS).
In a letter to the OAS read by Honduras'
Vice Minister of International Relations
Martha Lorena de Casco, it said "This
government believes that inside the
organization (of the OAS), there is no room
for Honduras, for the states that love its
freedom and defend its sovereignty."
The reading of the letter was made in
presence of Honduran Acting President
Roberto Micheletti.
Honduras will face freezing of loans from
Central American Bank of Economic
Integration (CABEI), while other
international help and donations can be
suspended.
The interim government's announcement came
after OAS chief Jose Miguel Insulza said in
Tegucigalpa Friday that he would recommend
the suspension of Honduras from the regional
group due to its post-coup rulers' refusal
to reinstate ousted President Manuel Zelaya.
Organization of American States (OAS) chief
Jose Miguel Insulza (M) leaves after a news
conference at a hotel in downtown
Tegucigalpa July 3, 2009. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
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The OAS has given the Honduran interim
government until noon on Saturday to restore
Zelaya to power, or face expulsion.
Insulza, who is on a fact-finding mission in
Honduras, said Zelaya must be reinstalled to
lead the country.
"Zelaya is the only one that we recognize as
Honduran President, and he must be returned
to his position as soon as possible,"
Insulza said at a press conference.
"Honduras is exposed to an international
sanction, because the world unanimously has
declared this action as a violation of
democracy. I have spoken with several
people, and apparently no one wants to
accept responsibility for what happened last
weekend."
"I'm going back to Washington and I will
report what I found out here to the OAS
Assembly. We will discuss it and then we're
going to make a decision," Insulza said.
Enrique Ortez Colindres, foreign minister of
Honduras' post-coup government, told media
that the government would not negotiate with
the OAS.
"We have a very firm position that we do not
negotiate Honduras' sovereignty," Ortez
said.
Honduran soldiers stormed the presidential
palace and flew Zelaya into exile in Costa
Rica early Sunday.
Later, the country's legislature voted to
appoint Roberto Micheletti, head of the
legislature, as acting president to serve
out Zelaya's term, which ends in January.
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