Thousands of anti-government demonstrators again took to streets in several Brazilian cities today after the president broke a long silence to promise reforms, but the early protests were smaller than those of recent days and with only scattered reports of violence.

Brazil awoke to city centres still smouldering after a night that shocked the nation: One million anti- government protesters took to the streets in scores of cities, with clusters battling police and destroying swaths of storefronts and buildings.

A top aide to Honduras’ ousted president accused the United States of involvement in the coup, saying that the plane that flew Manuel Zelaya into exile stopped to refuel at an airfield where hundreds of US troops are based.