MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Zelaya calls for more US drastic measures against Honduras usurpers

The ousted president is closer to Chile, Brazil and the US and further away from the Caribbean “bad boys”

Ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya said he expects the US administration to take more drastic actions against the de facto government of Roberto Micheletti. Zelaya held a three and a half hour meeting on Thursday with Chilean president Michelle Bachelet in Santiago as part of his round of visits to drum support for his reinstatement.

“We expect that in coming hours or days the US will decide on more drastic actions (against Honduras) as an example of support for Latinamerican democracies”, pointed out Zelaya who arrived on a private aircraft from Brazil.

The ousted president praised Chile as a country with a “great image” and an example for the rest of the continent, “President Bachelet was the first to ring me when the June coup. You Chileans know quite a lot about dictatorships”.

“Much of the solution to this attack on democracy rests on the US and its influence on the Honduran economy”, added Zelaya. The US is the main promoter of economic activity, exports and aid donor in Honduras.

Zelaya also praised the “brave efforts” of OAS (Organization of American States) Secretary General, Miguel Angel Insulza, who “has been unfairly criticized”.

The support was a nod for President Bachelet since Mr. Insulza is Chilean and has been under attack from Venezuela and Cuba for not being more energetic. However the administration of interim president Micheletti refused to have him included in a delegation that was scheduled to visit Tegucigalpa this week.

Similarly in Brazil and in spite of claims to the contrary from Cuba’s Fidel Castro and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, who has given the logistic support for the visits (including the aircraft), Zelaya openly admitted he was “well aware that the US was not involved in the June 28th coup” and was one of the promoters of the coup condemnation in the United Nations.

In Brazil Zelaya was received with full head of state honours and was informed by President Lula da Silva that he had been invited by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to travel to Washington to discuss the Honduras situation, “anytime in the coming weeks; we’re only pending confirmation”.

Zelaya also underlined that the US was committed to Costa Rican President Oscar Arias’ democratic and peace Plan, an initiative that originated with Secretary Hillary Clinton, “I’m sure the US will not put its power and prestige on the line”.

Meantime in Buenos Aires the Argentine government requested Honduran Ambassador Carmen Eleonora Ortiz Williams to cease all diplomatic activities, on request from ousted Zelaya and for having supported the coup.

“Following on a request from Honduras constitutional president Manuel Zelaya, ousted by a coup on June 28th, the Argentine Foreign Affairs ministry has demanded that Honduran ambassador in Buenos Aires Carmen Eleonora Ortez Williams cease all activities”, said the official release.

It added that “the public support from the diplomat to the de facto government of Roberto Micheletti that is not recognized internationally” is in the base of Argentina’s position.

In related news OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza held a “constructive” meeting with a delegation from the de facto Honduran government.

“We had a very long, interesting and I believe very constructive conversation”, said Insulza who met privately with the three delegates at his home in Washington.

“Hopefully the conversation will benefit the high level mission we are planning in the near future to Honduras”, added the OAS top official.

The high level mission will try and convince Micheletti to accept the Peace Accord proposed by President Oscar Arias.