Zelaya Blocked by Bed of Violence

By Circles Robinson

HAVANA TIMES, July 5 — With the Honduran army opening fire on demonstrators with tear gas and live bullets, and placing obstacles on the runway, deposed President Manuel Zelaya was unable to land in Tegucigalpa on Sunday afternoon and attempt a return to his post as the country’s constitutional leader.

The de-facto government headed by Roberto Micheletti had warned they would not let Zelaya land in Honduras and that the militar coup executed on June 28 is irreversible.

Speaking on Telesur TV live from the aircraft after the failed landing attempts, Zelaya said the Honduran military told his pilot they were prepared to shoot down the plane.

Ignoring curfews, roadblocks and barricades, thousands of Zelaya supporters have demonstrated around the country and thousands were in areas surrounding the airport to receive him.

Still flying towards an undisclosed alternative airport, Zelaya is accompanied by UN General Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto and several Honduran officials including Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas.

Zelaya was on hand late Saturday and early Sunday in Washington when the Organization of American States (OAS) unanimously suspended Honduras from the hemispheric organization, demanding his immediate return to office.

Meanwhile, in a related action to pressure the Honduran coup leaders to desist, three Latin American presidents, Cristina Fernandez (Argentina), Fernando Lugo (Paraguay) and Rafael Correa (Ecuador) traveled Sunday with Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Miguel Insulza from Washington to neighboring El Salvador.

The OAS, just as the entire United Nations General Assembly, demands the unconditional return of Manuel Zelaya to his post.

For more on the Honduras crisis see:
“Honduras Coup Close Up” – http://havanatimes.org/?p=10793
“Honduras: Democracy on Hold” – http://havanatimes.org/?p=10786