Military ousts Honduran president

THE Honduran Congress has named its leader to replace President Manuel Zelaya, following his military ouster and forced exile in Costa Rica.

A resolution read on the floor of Congress accuses Zelaya of “manifest irregular conduct” and “putting in present danger the state of law”, a reference to his refusal to obey a Supreme Court ruling against holding a constitutional referendum.

By a show of hands, the Congress voted on Sunday to remove Zelaya, and appointed congressional president Roberto Micheletti as the new chief executive, as is mandated by the constitution. Congress earlier had approved a supposed letter of resignation from Zelaya, but Zelaya said the document was false.

Soldiers seized the national palace and flew Zelaya into exile yesterday, hours before a disputed constitutional referendum. Zelaya, a leftist ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, said he was victim of a coup.

Hours later, Congress voted to accept what it said was Zelaya’s letter of resignation, but Zelaya said the letter wasn’t his and vowed to remain in power.

The Supreme Court said it was supporting the military in what it called a defence of democracy, and the Honduran ambassador to the Organisation of American States said the military was planning to swear in Congressional president Roberto Micheletti – who is next in line to the presidency – to replace Zelaya.

Zelaya was arrested shortly before polls were to open in a referendum on whether to change the constitution. The Supreme Court ruled the referendum illegal and everyone from Congress to members of his own party opposed it. Critics said Zelaya wanted to remove limits to his re-election.

Tanks rolled through the streets and hundreds of soldiers with riot shields surrounded the presidential palace in the capital, Tegucigalpa. Zelaya, at the airport in the Costa Rican capital, San Jose, called the military action illegal.

“There is no way to justify an interruption of democracy, a coup d’etat,” he said in a telephone call to the Venezuela-based Telesur television network. “This kidnapping is an extortion of the Honduran democratic system.”

Zelaya told CNN the letter of resignation was “totally false.” He told Telesur he would not recognise any de facto government and pledged to serve out his term, which ends in January. He said he would attend a meeting of Central American presidents in Nicaragua today. He said Chavez, who is also going, would provide transportation.

Chavez, who along with the Castros in Cuba is Zelaya’s top ally, said Venezuela “is at battle” and put his military on alert.

President Barack Obama said he was “deeply concerned” by Zelaya’s expulsion and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the arrest should be condemned.