Zelaya delays return as Honduras given ultimatum

WASHINGTON: Deposed President Manuel Zelaya on Wednesday delayed his return to Honduras, after the Organization of American States gave the country 72 hours to reinstate him as president.

“We will wait 72 hours in order to continue with this process” in light of the OAS ultimatum, Zelaya told reporters in Washington one day before his planned return to his homeland Thursday.

His remarks came after the OAS in a communique said Honduras faces suspension from the organization if it does not restore his presidency.

The organization’s general assembly instructed Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza to undertake “diplomatic initiatives aimed at… the reinstatement of President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales,” within the next three days.

If these efforts prove fruitless, Honduras will be barred from the OAS in keeping with the group’s charter, according to a communique issued ahead of a planned meeting in Washington between Zelaya and US officials.

Tensions have flared in Honduras since Zelaya was deposed in an army-backed coup on Sunday and swiftly flown out of the country. The coup was the first in the major banana and coffee exporter in more than 20 years.

The OAS said it was “gravely concerned about the political crisis in the Republic of Honduras as a result of the coup d’etat” which it said “has produced an unconstitutional alteration of the democratic order.”

Zelaya, who was elected in 2005 to a non-renewable four-year term, was due to hold talks in Washington Wednesday with US officials, one day ahead of his planned return to his Central American nation of 7.5 million people.

His meetings in the US capital come as a growing list of nations pulled their ambassadors from Tegucigalpa, with Spain the latest country to recall its envoy.

Protests erupted Tuesday for the second day in the Honduran capital, when unidentified attackers hurled a grenade, which failed to explode, at the Supreme Court.

Zelaya has vowed to return to Honduras on Thursday accompanied by OAS leaders and Argentine President Cristina Kirchner. But many here fear his return could spark further clashes between his supporters and opponents.

Attorney General Luis Alberto Rubi has warned Zelaya would be “immediately” arrested if he returned to Honduras, where he faces charges that include “treason” and “abuse of authority.”

On Tuesday Zelaya said he would not seek a second term in office, dropping his plans to try to run again for office in November elections which had detonated the crisis.

“If offered the possibility to remain in power (for a second term), I would not do it,” he told a press conference in New York. I am going to fulfill my term up until January 27,” he added.

Since Sunday’s coup, Honduras has become increasingly isolated, with a string of Latin American countries recalling their ambassadors for consultations.

New authorities, led by interim leader Roberto Micheletti, extended a 9:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew until Friday and many media channels remained blocked.

Financial institutions, including the World Bank and regional banks, have also ordered the suspension of loans and payments to the impoverished nation.

After winning backing from the UN General Assembly for his bid to return to power, Zelaya headed for Washington looking for further support.

US President Barack Obama has already said he still regards him as the legitimate Honduran president, although the two men were not due to meet Wednesday.