 |
CENTRAL AMERICA |
| |
Zelaya Says Will Stay In Honduras Until End
Of January
(AFP) – Deposed Honduran leader Manuel
Zelaya said he would remain at the Brazilian
embassy in the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa
until January 27, 2010 at the latest, when
his term formally ends. "However, I would
like to leave as soon as possible, obviously
with the support of the Brazilian
government," Zelaya told Brazil's Globo
television.
The cowboy-hatted ousted president, exiled
in a military-backed coup in June, secretly
slipped back into Honduras in September and
has remained at the heavily fortified
Brazilian embassy ever since.
"He is absolutely aware that when his
mandate ends, he will need to go elsewhere,"
said the Brazilian embassy's charge d'
affaires Francisco Catunda.
The de facto regime of Roberto Micheletti on
Friday demanded that Brazil clarify its
reasons for allowing Zelaya to remain inside
its embassy.
"The Honduran government, once again, calls
on the government of Brazil to define the
legal status under which Jose Manuel Zelaya
remains in its facilities," the foreign
affairs ministry said in a statement.
On Thursday, Zelaya, who has steadfastly
insisted he be returned to power, rejected a
Mexican offer for safe passage after
Micheletti imposed the condition he be
granted political asylum, which, he said,
would invalidate his claim to the
presidency.
The chances of his return to power were
eroded by successful November 29 elections
that were recognized by a number of nations,
including the United States and Costa Rica.
The winner, Porfirio Lobo, is set to take
office after Zelaya's term expires next
month.
Dominican Republic President Leonel
Fernandez on Friday said he would meet
Zelaya on Sunday and Lobo on Monday in Santo
Domingo, in his bid to mediate in the
Honduras crisis.
Fernandez, who said he already spoke with
both men in the past, said he hoped the de
facto regime would not stifle this new
attempt at negotiations and allow Zelaya to
travel to the Dominican Republic.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
