Ousted President Plans Return To Honduras

Police, Protesters Clash Monday As World Leaders Including Obama Denounce Coup

(CBS/AP)  Ousted President Manuel Zelaya says he wants to return to Honduras this week accompanied by the head of the Organization of American States.

Zelaya says he will accept an offer by OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza to return to the Central America country with him. Zelaya says he wants to make the trip Thursday.

He spoke Monday in Nicaragua during a meeting of Latin American leaders to discuss Sunday's coup in Honduras.

Insulza had made the offer moments before Zelaya spoke.

Earlier Monday, police and soldiers clashed with thousands of protesters outside Honduras' national palace Monday as world leaders from Barack Obama to Hugo Chavez demanded the return of a president ousted in a military coup.

Leftist leaders pulled their ambassadors from Honduras and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called for Hondurans to rise up against those who toppled his ally, Manuel Zelaya.

"We're ready to support the rebellion of the Honduran people," Chavez said, though he did not say what kind of support he was offering.

Protests outside the presidential palace grew from hundreds to thousands, and in the afternoon soldiers and police advanced behind riot shields, using tear gas to scatter the protesters. The demonstrators, many of them choking on the gas, hurled rocks and bottles.

Security forces fired rifles but it was not clear whether they were using live ammunition. There were no immediate confirmations of injuries. Reporters saw at least five people detained.

In Washington, Obama said the United States will "stand on the side of democracy" and work with other nations and international groups to resolve the matter peacefully.

"We believe that the coup was not legal and that President Zelaya remains the democratically elected president there," Obama said.

"It would be a terrible precedent if we start moving backwards into the era in which we are seeing military coups as a means of political transition rather than democratic elections," he added. "The region has made enormous progress over the last 20 years in establishing democratic traditions. ... We don't want to go back to a dark past."

The universal condemnation of the coup placed Mr. Obama "in an unusual agreement with … the governments of Cuba and Venezuela," said CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk. "And with such overwhelming opposition to the removal of Zelaya, it will be hard for the new government of Honduras to make the case that this was in fact not a coup but the following of a constitutional procedure."

Zelaya's ouster was Central America's first coup in at least 16 years, a blow from the barracks that reminded many of the military dictatorships the region has tried to bury in its past.

"By Thursday of last week, the United Nations was aware of the ouster attempt, and international efforts to negotiate a diplomatic resolution - which involved the White House, the European Union and regional governments - failed," Falk reported.

The Organization of American States called an emergency meeting for Tuesday to consider suspending Honduras under an agreement meant to prevent the sort of coups that for generations made Latin America a tragic spawning ground of military dictatorships.

The new government, however, was defiant. Roberto Micheletti, named by Congress to serve out the final seven months of Zelaya's term, vowed to ignore foreign pressure.

"We respect everybody and we ask only that they respect us and leave us in peace because the country is headed toward free and transparent general elections in November," Micheletti told HRN radio.

He insisted Zelaya's ouster was legal and accused the former president himself of violating the constitution by sponsoring a referendum that was outlawed by the Supreme Court. Many saw the foiled vote as a step toward eliminating barriers to his re-election, as other Latin American leaders have done in recent years.

Despite the protests at the palace, daily life appeared normal in most of the capital, with nearly all businesses open. Some expressed relief at the departure of Zelaya, who alienated the courts, Congress, the military and even his own party in his tumultuous three years in power.

"A coup d'etat is undemocratic and you never want to support it, but in the case of this guy and his government, maybe so," said Roberto Cruz, a 61-year-old metalworker.

But Zelaya retains the loyalty of many of Honduras' poor, for having raised the minimum wage and blaming the country's problems on the rich - despite the considerable wealth he enjoys as a successful rancher.

Farmworker Jesus Almendares, 30, said he was skipping work to protest the coup.

"It's a tremendous shame, yet another proof that the armed forces control the country - they and the businessmen," he said.

Zelaya was arrested in his pajamas Sunday morning by soldiers who stormed his residence and flew him into exile. A day later, back in suit and tie, he sat beside Chavez and other allies at a Nicaragua meeting of the nine-nation ALBA alliance, which agreed to pull its ambassadors from Honduras and reject the replacement government's envoys.

While Obama said Zelaya is still president, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hedged on that point at an earlier news conference, suggesting that both the ousted president and his foes should make compromises.

Asked if the administration would insist that Zelaya be restored to power, she said: "We haven't laid out any demands that we're insisting on, because we're working with others on behalf of our ultimate objectives."

Mexico's government, one of the most conservative in Latin America, joined leftists in denouncing the coup and offered protection to Zelaya's exiled foreign minister.

The president of Latin America's largest nation, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said on his weekly radio program that his country will not recognize any Honduran government that doesn't have Zelaya as president "because he was directly elected by the vote, complying with the rules of democracy."

"We in Latin America can no longer accept someone trying to resolve his problem through the means of a coup," Silva said.

Coups were common in Central America until the 1980s, but Sunday's ouster was the first military power grab in Latin America since a brief, failed 2002 coup against Chavez.

It was the first military ouster of a Central American president since 1993, when Guatemalan military officials refused to accept President Jorge Serrano's attempt to seize absolute power and removed him.

Honduras had not seen a coup since 1978, when one military government overthrew another.

[Informed23]

What is so upsetting about this whole situation in Honduras is that many countries that don't even know much about the whole conflict in Honduras are condoning Honduras and refusing to trade with Honduras anymore. Even organizations like OEA and the UN are against the new government of Honduras and now they want to interfere but months ago when Honduras ambassadors and politians asked for help because they had problems with Zelaya, as he was becoming more of a dictator and socialist, they did not pay attention. The reality of the truth here is that Mel Zelaya is trying to make others sympathize him and restore him back in power but unfortunately people do not see him for who he really is. Zelaya is purely a dictator who is only concerned about himself and deserved all this because he is trying to follow into the footsteps of Venezuela's President Chavez and even uses the same expressions and phrases of Chavez. Nobody goes above the law or the constitution in a democratic society, so yes the Supreme Court made a right decision in sending the military to peacefully and safely take Zelaya away and democratically vote on a new president unanimously. People who are against what Honduras did are so blind because they do not see how Zelaya acts against the government and only wanted to change the Constitution because he wants to be reelected. This is how Chavez started and from there, all there is are lies. Officals in Honduras are doing what's right because they are protecting their people so in future years they can have freedom unlike in Venezuela because anyone who goes against Chavez is either killed or imprisoned for life, which people don't seem to realize. So what the world should be doing instead of acting like idiots, is accepting the new government which most Hondurans agree with and help the build a new nation which Zelaya destroyed.

[endurorob]

Why do they keep caling this a military coup. The military was acting under the orders of congress. This is not a coup of any kind it is a legal acton by congress.

[mer16]

There was no "armed overthrow of the Govt" thats pure fiction and nonsense.The military ousted a want-a-be dictator who was trying to set himself up as president for life. The action that was taken was probably to harsh and the Honduran supreme court should have censured him instead and nullified his attempt to establish his own self-rule.

[USSAmerikan]

If Congress authorized it, it was legal and binding... We, the US and the bunch of monkeys who met in Nicaragua yesterday, have no business meddling into Honduras' affairs.

[wdh3007]

I wonder if our Congress could ever evict it's president quick, peacefully and give him a free first class flight to somewhere that's pretty awesome even for a third world country like Hondurus.

[USSAmerikan]

CBS, organ of the American Left aparatchik, states that "thousands" of protesters clashed against police. The pictures speak for themselves, Komrads... It was closer to twelve people and a burro. The real truth, not the CBS version, is that tens of thousands of people did take to the streets, last Friday, protesting Zelaya's attempt to become the next Fidel... They were protesting his attempt to modify the Honduran constitution so he could use Venezuelan voting gear and get himself reelected as often as he saw fit.

[andylance1]

Obama is preaching to the choir of OAS leaders and trying to dispel any thoughts that this was engineered by the CIA.

The people of Honduras deserve better leadership and acted independently to restore sanity to their government.

What the people of Honduras did was heroic and it causes the friends of Chavez sheer terror that the same thing might happen to them as well.

[tngreen]

I would be willing to bet next month's salary that the U.S. is behind this overthrow of yet another democratically elected leader. Those big American corporations can't afford to lose yet another investment to nationalization. What will happen to the Coca Colas, Fords, and Alcoas when they can no longer rape and pillage Central America at will? When they are forced to pay their workers decent wages, ensure workers safety, and observe the most basic environmental protections? No, better to finance a coup, send in the Fort Benning-trained death squads to keep the union leaders in line, and maintain the status quo. Your tax dollars at work, America.

[prometheus21]

The new government, however, was defiant. Roberto Micheletti, named by Congress to serve out the final seven months of Zelaya's term, vowed to ignore foreign pressure.

"We respect everybody and we ask only that they respect us and leave us in peace because the country is headed toward free and transparent general elections in November," Micheletti told HRN radio.

In an apparent nod to opposition supporters in Iran, Micheletti affirmed, "An election which will be run over and over and over again until the results we desire in our opposition minority/majority assertion are achieved. We will not be deterred by truth or rule of law or any so-called international standards for democratic self-determination through majority vote."

[mcintoshlou]

THE REAL PROBLEM FOR OUR COUNTRY IS THE RISE OF THESE UN-AMERICAN SCUM BAGS,

THE CONSERVATIVE REPUBLI'CON's

CON MEN EVERY ONE, LIARS EVERYONE, LYING ANTI AMEERICAN FILTH


REPUBLICON'S ARE FASCISTS, NAZI FASCISTS

[USSAmerikan]

Sure... Of course, at the opposite end of the spectrum you have ignorant marxist useful idiots (Marx' words, not mine) such as many in this country... According to Marx, useful idiots would be key to toppling Capitalism. I believe if you were to browse Marx and Engels' Communist Manifesto, you'd get a good idea of how you've been duped and how you are handing them the rope they'll hang you with (also a paraphrase of Marx' philosophy)...

[TryTakingMyMoney]

Our socialist liberal messiah supports the leadership in Iran for stomping out a revolution for freedom, and he now stands arm and arm with Chavez protesting a "legal" overthrow of the Honduras leftist thug president. AMERICA! WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO WAKE UP!!!!!!

[USSAmerikan]

Legal overthrow is right, my friend. Nobody was killed and the new president is not a military dictator. The Honduran congress chose him as a temporary president, which by their constitution, will prohibit him from seeking office in November. AS "coup d'etats" go, this one was the quickest, most peaceful one I can recall... Why? Because in this instance, the Honduran Congress chose to evict the prez and gave the order to the military to give him a free trip in private jet to Costa Rica...

[wdh3007]

President Obama on Monday declared that the United States still considers Manuel Zelaya to be the president of Honduras and assailed the coup that forced him into exile as "not legal," deepening the chasm between the Central American nation and much of the rest of the world.
That's not surprizing that's what Chavez thinks too and he is a Marxist like BO. Good for coup takeovers we need one here in America.

[specialty8]

Seems Obama and Chavez have alot in common. Wonder if Obama read that book yet his pal gave him?

[Ceres6]

No one has to be a genius to see that Mr. Manuel Zelaya, an undisputed puppet of Hugo Chavez, had the intention of becoming one more little dictator in Latin America. When Hugo Chavez says play dead, the incompetent and corrupt former president of Manuel Zelaya plays dead, and when Chavez demands a display of affection, Mr. Zelaya salivates and jumps.

Mr. Zelaya was obsessed about changing the Honduran constitution, to open the way for his perpetual reelection, and he was supported by Mr. Chavez. Mr. Zelaya was told by the Honduran Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Military Forces not to mess up with the constitution, and he just went ahead, ignoring all of them. Although the removal of an elected president is a serious business, we don't have to cry for Mr. Zelaya, who is an incompetent and corrupt politician.

Two days ago, Mr. Chavez said to the media that Obama promised him that he was not going to interfere in the Venezuelan affairs. I don't know if that is true, but if it is, I hope Mr. Obama is aware of all the things at stake in the region. I admire Mr. Obama, but I hope he is wise enough to protect the interests of the people that elected him. In Youtube anyone can see a number of political speeches given by Mr. Chavez barely a year ago, in which several times he screamed vulgarities and he said that American people were human excrement.

American people should be made aware that Mr. Chavez is not just an inoffensive clown. Give him an inch, and he will stab you in the back. He has a demented hatred against the United States. It is not just hate against former president Bush. It is hate for everything sacred to the American people.

This is a unique opportunity for the United States to support the people of Honduras. If Mr. Obama allows Mr. Chavez to get away with the bullying of Honduras and the imposition of another dictatorship in Central America, then it is only a matter of time for the reputation and influence of the United States in Latin America to suffer irreversibly, and for other countries to fall and become pawns of the Caribbean Idi Amin of Mr. Chavez.

[ToolMangler1]

Then USA has to be very careful right now. Giving lip service to the power structures inplace in Latin America does not obligate us to back them with action. We can stay out of what ever conflict we wish on the excuse that "The last time we tried to help you, we were called Empirical Warmongers and spat upon. Now handle the situation your self. With that approach we will be 100% correct... (and will only have to interfere where it directly concerns 'us')

[TNisgoodenoughforme]

We have a mission trip to there coming up in a few weeks. I wonder if it will be safe enough?

[Ceres6]

Under Mr. Zelaya rule, the personal safety in Honduras went down the pipes. The maras and criminal gangs are rampant in the entire country. My advise is to go, but keep your eyes open 24 hours a day. Try never to be alone on the streets or discoteques, don't wear expensive jewlery, and be careful if you carry expensive electronics. To be on the safe side, what many people with means in Honduras do is to always venture outside with one or two armed guards.

If I were you, I would not worry too much abouth the present political crises, but I would be extremely careful of the huge number of common criminals. Never let dubious strangers get close to you.
Good luck in your mission.

[ToolMangler1]

I would think so, the government didn't get taken out, just the peader of it. Things seem to be "Business as usual"

[USSAmerikan]

Honduras' crime rate has increased exponentially during Zelaya's regime, which is part of the reason his popularity dropped to the 30's in the last few months. I would hold off your trip until the dust settles, especially since some of the rhetoric that is coming from the ALBA, the communist block headed by Chavez, threatens to turn the country into a combat zone...