Honduras pact ends as leaders lock horns
Source: Agencies |
November 7, 2009, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A PACT to end a four-month political crisis in Honduras collapsed yesterday after two rival leaders failed to form a united cabinet to heal the damage from a June coup.
Ousted President Manuel Zelaya declared the agreement dead just a week after it was signed and called on Hondurans to boycott presidential elections this month because, in a surprise move, de facto leader Roberto Micheletti moved to form a new government without him.
The rival leaders had agreed to form a so-called unity and reconciliation cabinet by Thursday, but then they clashed over who would lead the cabinet until the Honduran Congress decided whether to reinstate Zelaya.
"It's absurd what they are doing, trying to mock all of us, the people who elected me and the international community that supports me. We've decided not to continue this theater with Micheletti," Zelaya said.
The impoverished coffee- and textile-exporting country has been isolated diplomatically and cut off from international aid since Zelaya was toppled by soldiers and sent into exile in his pajamas in a June 28 coup.
Yesterday morning Tegucigalpa television showed a heavy contingent of tanks and soldiers and other military vehicles surrounding the Brazilian embassy where Zelaya has been holed up since he sneaked back into Honduras in September.
A spokesman for the American State Department, which had pushed the two sides to a deal, appeared to indicate the pact was still on track, saying "The only deadline was to form a government of national unity, which was done."
Ousted President Manuel Zelaya declared the agreement dead just a week after it was signed and called on Hondurans to boycott presidential elections this month because, in a surprise move, de facto leader Roberto Micheletti moved to form a new government without him.
The rival leaders had agreed to form a so-called unity and reconciliation cabinet by Thursday, but then they clashed over who would lead the cabinet until the Honduran Congress decided whether to reinstate Zelaya.
"It's absurd what they are doing, trying to mock all of us, the people who elected me and the international community that supports me. We've decided not to continue this theater with Micheletti," Zelaya said.
The impoverished coffee- and textile-exporting country has been isolated diplomatically and cut off from international aid since Zelaya was toppled by soldiers and sent into exile in his pajamas in a June 28 coup.
Yesterday morning Tegucigalpa television showed a heavy contingent of tanks and soldiers and other military vehicles surrounding the Brazilian embassy where Zelaya has been holed up since he sneaked back into Honduras in September.
A spokesman for the American State Department, which had pushed the two sides to a deal, appeared to indicate the pact was still on track, saying "The only deadline was to form a government of national unity, which was done."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
