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De Facto Honduran Government Continues To Reject Zelaya
November 19, 2009
By: Randi Zung | Printer Friendly

According to BCC News, Honduran Congressional President Jose Alvedro Saavedra said that the Congress will not vote on Zelaya’s possible return to office until after the November 29 election.  The vote has been scheduled for December 2.  In an article by Reuters, interim President Roberto Micheletti said setting a date to decide Zelaya’s political fate demonstrated that the de facto government was serious about “working together to solve the current political situation.”  Zelaya’s term was set to end in January 2010, but he was ousted from office in June after he proposed making changes to the country’s constitution.  The proposed changes would have allowed Zelaya to run for a second term in office.  Zelaya, who snuck back into Honduras in September, has been taking refuge in the Brazilian Embassy in the capital city of Tegucigalpa.

The New York Times reports that several Latin American countries claim they will not view the November 29 election as legitimate unless Zelaya is allowed to return to office before the polls open.  In addition, Zelaya has stated that he will not return to office if the Congress votes on the decision after the election because it will legitimize his June removal.  The United States has been an active participant in trying to get Zelaya back into office, even helping to broker a deal between the de facto government and Zelaya.  While it seemed like the proposed accord was going to be successful, the deal later fell through after both parties had signed the agreement.  The American brokered deal specified the formation of a unified Honduran government until a new president was elected, but did not specify that Zelaya had to be returned to office – leaving that decision up to the Congress.  Originally, the United States government pressured the de facto government to reinstate Zelaya, but later changed their stance to Zelaya’s dismay.

In a letter from Zelaya to President Obama, CNN reports that Zelaya does not support the November 29 election and that he will urge his supporters to follow suit.  CNN also reports that the Honduran Congress is abstaining from making anymore decisions about Zelaya until the country’s Supreme Court has voiced an opinion about the situation.  The United States has now said that they will support the outcome of the upcoming election regardless of whether Zelaya is returned to office or not.  The Associated Press reports that Zelaya’s letter also accused the United States and President Obama of promoting “the downfall of freedom and contempt for human dignity” by supporting the de facto government.

Sources:
BBC News - Ruling on Zelaya 'after election'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8365537.stm

CNN - Ousted Honduran president rejects upcoming election
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/11/15/honduras.zelaya/

The New York Times - Decision to Restore Ousted Honduran Leader Is Delayed Until After Vote
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/world/americas/18honduras.html?scp=4&sq=honduras&st=cse

The Associated Press - Ousted Honduran president won't recognize vote
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jAkMGKIUDg_ngUiZboxQbYj5_DPwD9BVOEGO0

Reuters - Honduran Congress to vote on Zelaya fate after poll
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5AG5PV20091118