Ousted president defends 'right to insurrection'

Ousted president Manuel Zelaya said the Honduran people “have the right to insurrection” against the interim government that forced him out of the country.

The remarks appeared to pave the way for a further escalation of the conflict in Honduras, where Mr Zelaya’s supporters have staged massive marches demanding his return and one person has already been killed in clashes between demonstrators and soldiers.

Speaking at a joint news conference with his left-leaning counterpart Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom in Guatemala City, Mr Zelaya said that Hondurans have the right demonstrate, strike and even rise up against the government of Roberto Micheletti, who was named by Congress to replace Mr Zelaya.

“Nobody owes allegiance to a usurper government that took power by arms, and the people have the right to insurrection and to oppose those measures,” Mr Zelaya said, adding, “Insurrection is a legitimate process that forms part of the highest concepts of democratic sentiment.”

Mr Zelaya was toppled by a military-backed coup on June 28 and flown out of the country. He is recognised by virtually all foreign governments, but Mr Micheletti has threatened to have him jailed if he returns.

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias is mediating talks aimed at resolving the impasse, but Mr Zelaya has grown frustrated by the lack of progress and on Monday gave the interim government an ultimatum to reinstate him.

Yesterday, Mr Arias said talks will resume on Saturday after two rounds of earlier negotiations failed to produce a breakthrough.

Mr Arias also urged Mr Zelaya to “be patient”.

Mr Micheletti’s administration has insisted that Mr Zelaya was ousted legally and has refused to bend on reinstating him despite international condemnation of the coup, including that of the United States.

Washington has clearly played an influential role in the negotiations: it was US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who invited Mr Arias to mediate.

Yesterday, thousands of Zelaya supporters marched from a university to the US Embassy to demand Washington do more to force the interim government to back down.

“Hondurans are not dumb. Nothing moves an inch here without the approval of the US Embassy,” said demonstrator Amilcar Espinosa.