Honduran Presidents Fail To Meet Face To
Face
The day began full of expectations. Costa
Rica was at centre stage of the crisis in
Honduras, the world looking on the efforts
of Nobel Peace laurate and Costa Rican
president, Oscar Arias, to bring the two
sides together in a historic event.
Mayi Antillon, the Casa Presidencial press
secretary, explained to hundred or so news
reporters gathered outside the house of the
Costa Rican president's private home in
Rohrmoser, west side of San Jose.
In the morning each side would meet
bi-laterally with Arias for 25 minutes and
then in the afternoon both parties would
meet face-to-face. Antillon, when asked how
long the mediations would take place,
explained that it is a "process" and today
would be a "long" day.
Deposed president, Manuel Zelaya, was the
first to meet with Arias. He arrived at
11:30am and came out of the Arias home at
12:34pn, a long 25 minutes. Zelaya, in a
short speech thanked the reporters and the
international community for their support
and sped off.
Following more than a half hour interval,
Roberto Micheletti, amid tight security,
arrived at the Arias home. Micheletti has
arrived earlier in the morning, waiting at
the Juan Santamaria international airport,
saying he would not leave until he was
satisfied that he would be provided proper
security for his safety.
The "process" which according to Antillon
has been devised by president Arias the
night before, was moving ahead as scheduled,
although a bit behind time, as is in Costa
Rican fashion.
Antillon had explained that the process
would be a step by step process and that
great expectations were anticipated as the
two presidents met face to face for the
first time since almost two weeks ago.
However, the smiles turned to frowns when
the Micheletti meeting passed the first
hour, the second and the third. The meeting
finally broke at 4pm, where Micheletti
explained to the press that the process
would be continued by diplomats, a committee
chosen by both parties.
Micheletti also said he would be leaving
Costa Rica as soon as possible, closing the
door to any direct meeting with Zelaya.
On Honduran television last night, de facto
president Micheletti reiterated that there
had been no coup d'etat, that he was
defending the Honduran constitution and that
slowly Honduras would return to normal.
In a press conference, Arias said that the
talks advanced in the difficult mediation
and is positive that today's (Friday) round
of negotiations will advance even further.
The talks between the chosen representatives
of both sides broke off at 9:30pm and will
resume this morning.
The reality of the day's process is closer
to what may be the future of the crisis in
Honduras, as the act of Micheletti leaving
Costa Rica immediately following the meeting
with Arias is a sign that there is nothing
to negotiate, a fact that Micheletti has
said over and over during the almost two
weeks. The worst is that there is no plan
"B", that if the Arias mediation talks fail.
While Micheletti met with Arias, outside the
president's home and in front of the press
camp, two groups of demonstrators made their
points of view known. One group supported
Zelaya and denounced Micheletti, while
another group supported the de facto
president.
An effigy of Micheletti was burned,
placards, flags and banners made the points
of view known. However, in typical Costa
Rican fashion, the demonstration, even
though heated at moments, was peaceful,
without clashes and violence between the
opposing groups.
The demonstration broke off moments before
Micheletti exited the Arias home, with the
protestors promising to return today.
Costa Rican president Arias, although
putting a positive spin on the events of the
day, his face showed his frustration of not
having the two men meet face to face.
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