By Brenda Lopez Romero
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – After a surprise return of the deposed President Jose Manuel Zelaya, the current Honduran government implemented a nationwide curfew.
Honduran troops surround the Brazilian Embassy in the capital, Tegucigalpa, on Tuesday (PHOTO: CNN) Zelaya was ousted on June 28, and despite international political, diplomatic and economic isolation, the interim President Roberto Micheletti has unwaveringly resisted said pressure to allow Zelaya to return to power. Micheletti contends that there was no coup, but rather a constitutional transfer of power. Zelaya faces charges of violating the constitution relating to a proposed referendum to allow a second consecutive term for presidency that was at the center of his ouster. Zelaya’s term ends in January and he would not have benefited from any referendum adopted by the constitutional assembly.
Nonetheless, Honduras’ Supreme Court held the ballot initiative was illegal and Congress had decreed Zelaya couldn’t hold it.
On Monday, Zelaya’s appearance, in the Brazilian Embassy in the capital of Tegucigalpa, took everyone by surprise, including the Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim. As a result, Micheletti issued a nationwide curfew for that same day in order to halt violence that erupted with the return of the country’s deposed president.
Honduras media reported that the government will announce today, on radio and television, that the curfew will be lifted at six in the morning on Thursday; thus, businesses, schools, and the government will return to normal operating hours.
The curfew was ignored by Zelaya supporters who assembled outside the Brazilian Embassy. The Micheletti administration stated, on television broadcast Tuesday, that 2,500 demonstrators were dispersed without deaths. But Marcial Torres, a journalist for La Tribuna newspaper, said a doctor had informed him of at least eighty people that were admitted in an area hospital with injuries. Today, the Police announced that two men were killed in the disturbance. Police and soldiers maintained a security perimeter around the Brazilian embassy, disbanding pro-Zelaya supporters, whom remains confined inside the embassy.
The streets of Tegucigalpa (PHOTO: La Prensa)
“The country is paralyzed,” with a “tense calm” in the nearly deserted streets of the capital, Torres said. The tension is fueled by uncertainty of how events will develop between a steadfast Micheletti and his potential response to Zelaya, who stated he returned for “homeland, restitution or death.”
All businesses, schools, and universities were closed. Additionally, all four of Honduras’ international airports in and outbound flights were canceled Tuesday and remain closed.
U.S. Department of State spokesman Ian Kelly confirmed to reporters in Washington, that Micheletti’s government isolated the embassy by cutting water, power and phone lines to the building, and Nunes Amorim, noted this action was a “very serious” move by Micheletti that violated international law.
The Brazilian foreign minister said he spoke with Zelaya and asked him not to use inflammatory language. Kelly as well reported, “The United States calls on all parties to remain calm and avoid actions that might provoke violence in Honduras and place individuals at risk or harm. We urge that all parties refrain from actions that would lead to further unrest.” U.S. diplomats and Brazil remained in contact with both sides in the conflict and support dialogue. Food delivered on Tuesday was believed to have been brought by the Americans, Torres said. However, Micheletti said in an interview with local network Televicentro, that Zelaya’s sudden appearance would not revive negotiations. Micheletti insisted in a letter to Brazilian authorities that they either give Zelaya asylum or turn him over to Honduran authorities.
A looted store in the capital (PHOTO: The Associated Press)
On Wednesday, when the curfew was temporarily lifted hungry Hondurans went through looted stores and lined up for food. Lila Armendia, a thirty-eight year-old seamstress has been unable to work and said it was “like being in jail.” Many Hondurans feel caught in the middle of a fight between two leaders — neither of whom they support said Edie Eguigure, fourty-seven, waiting in a long line to buy food for his family: “It’s time for Micheletti and Zelaya to sit down to negotiate to end this problem that is affecting more than anything the poorest of the poor.”
Micheletti vowed Monday night to stay in power despite Zelaya’s return.
Zelaya did not provide details on how he got into the country except that it was a fifteen to sixteen hour trip he journeyed “with the help of Hondurans.”
For more information, please see:
The Associated Press – Curfew-trapped Hondurans seek food amid crisis, 23 September 2009
La Prensa – Policía informa de 2 muertos tras los disturbios, 23 Septiembre 2009
La Prensa – Toque de queda se suspenderá a las 6:00 a.m – 23 Septiembre 2009
CNN – Honduran military uses tear gas on ousted leader’s supporters, 22 September 2009
