Zelaya’s return to Honduras aborted; two people shot dead at airport

Monday, July 6th 2009 - 12:48 UTC

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Ecuador’s Rafael Correa, Argentina’s Cristina Kirchner and Honduras's ousted President, Manuel Zelaya.

Honduras's ousted President, Manuel Zelaya failed on Sunday in a dramatic attempt to fly back to his country. His plane circled the Tegucigalpa airport, but it could not land as the authorities had blocked the runway.

Earlier at least two people were killed as troops fended off Zelaya supporters converging on the airport.

Mr Zelaya, who was ousted a week ago later landed in neighbouring El Salvador where he participated in a meeting of regional leaders, who support him.

Mr Zelaya departed from Washington and was hoping to fly home, despite warnings from the self-declared interim government that he would not be allowed to land.

After several failed attempts to touch down at Tegucigalpa airport, where military vehicles were placed on the runway, the plane eventually flew to Nigaragua, where Mr Zelaya met President Daniel Ortega.

The deposed Honduran leader went on to El Salvador where he met with the presidents of Argentina, Ecuador and Paraguay and the head of the Organization of American States (OAS).

However the latest news is that the government in Tegucigalpa, which said it came to power through due legal process, is offering to negotiate with the international community. But it says one thing is not negotiable and that is the return of Mr Zelaya to the presidency.

As the plane was flying towards Tegicugalpa, troops in riot gear fired tear gas at thousands of Zelaya supporters, some of whom reportedly hurled stones. Thousands managed to break through the security cordon.

Hospital sources and police said at least two people had been killed and a number had been injured.

After Mr Zelaya's plane was turned away, his supporters began chanting “We want blue helmets!” meaning UN peacekeepers. Troops had threatened action against the aircraft if it tried to land.

“I'm doing everything I can,” Mr Zelaya said. “If I had a parachute I would immediately jump out of this plane.”

The military - backed by Congress and the courts - forced Mr Zelaya out of Honduras on 28 June over his plans to hold a vote on possible constitutional change.

“We are the authentic representatives of the people,” interim president Roberto Micheletti insisted.

On Saturday, the OAS suspended Honduras - the first time the organisation had taken such a measure since Cuba was suspended in 1962, when it allied itself with the USSR.

Zelaya’s opponents, which include the Supreme Court and a majority in parliament and his own Liberal party accuse him of seeking to prolong his rule.

Categories: Politics, Latin America.

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Tim Andrews
On what basis can you credibly quote the defenders of the military coup in Honduras when they assert Zelaya “was seeking to prolong his rule” beyond the end of his constitutional term in January 2010? This baseless charge is frequently repeated by the corporate controlled mainstream media in the United States without any analysis. It could, of course, be yet another reflection of intense U.S. ignorance and lack of interest in all things Latin American. However, it is a fact that the plebsicite called for by Zelaya for last weekend only asked, inter alia, if the people of Honduras were willing to call for the establishment of a constituent assembly during the term of the NEXT president. If approved, the constituent assembly MAY have chosen to end the ban on re-elections (just as constitutional changes permitted in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, etc.). But that would have occurred AFTER Zelaya left office!
Jul 06th, 2009 - 02:51 pm 0
Bubba
Tim, what do the you think the referendum was on? This is how Chavez got his start.

“The military - backed by Congress and the courts - forced Mr Zelaya out of Honduras on 28 June over his plans to hold a vote on possible constitutional change.”
Do you remember the looney president of Ecuador that was forced from office by the congress and courts...
Jul 06th, 2009 - 06:01 pm 0

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