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Jose Manuel Zelaya, the Honduran president who was ousted by force this summer and into exile, made a suprise return to Honduras. Zelaya
is holed up in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa.
Honduran security forces have cordoned off the embassy, and Zelaya's supporters have been rioting in near the embassy.
From CNN.com:
Honduran military uses tear gas on ousted leader's supporters
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (CNN) -- Honduran authorities maintained a security cordon around the Brazilian Embassy in the Honduran capital Tuesday after forcefully dispersing supporters of ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya, who remained holed up inside the embassy.
Honduran troops surround the Brazilian Embassy in the capital, Tegucigalpa, on Tuesday.
Police and soldiers blocked off streets throughout the capital to enforce a nationwide curfew in effect until Tuesday evening, CNN en Español reported.
All flights in and out of the country were canceled Tuesday, after all four of Honduras's international airports were also closed.
The measures were the de facto Honduran government's reaction to Zelaya's surprise return Monday.
The government of interim President Roberto Micheletti, who was named by the Honduran congress after the June 28 coup that deposed Zelaya, also isolated the Brazilian Embassy by cutting water, power and phone lines to the building, U.S. Department of State spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters in Washington.
"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," Kelly said. "We urge that all parties refrain from actions that would lead to further unrest."
Kelly said that the American Embassy in Tegucigalpa had closed because of the situation, but that U.S. diplomats remained in contact with both sides in the conflict.
The United States supports dialogue between the two sides, centered on the San Jose Accord, an agreement negotiated by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias.
But in an interview with local network Televicentro, Micheletti said that Zelaya's sudden appearance would not revive negotiations.
Micheletti said his government would send a letter to Brazilian authorities asking them to either give Zelaya asylum in their country or to turn him over to Honduran authorities. Zelaya faces charges of violating the constitution related to a proposed referendum that was at the center of his ouster.
After of clashes in front of the embassy, Zelaya and news reports on Telesur TV said several people were wounded. Those reports could not be independently verified, but Telesur showed an ambulance headed to the scene.
Several people have been arrested, Zelaya and Telesur said. One image broadcast on the station showed a policewoman punching a handcuffed woman in the face.
The station also showed video of water cannons being used to scatter Zelaya supporters and the ousted president's backers throwing rocks and other objects at police.
The demonstrators flipped over and burned a police vehicle, said El Heraldo newspaper, which showed a photograph of an overturned truck on its Web page.
The Honduran government also placed sharpshooters near the embassy and blasted the compound with loud noise to "drive crazy" the people inside, Zelaya said.
Micheletti said Monday night that Zelaya will be arrested if he leaves the embassy. Under international law, a nation's embassy is sovereign territory in the host country and cannot be entered without permission.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said at a news briefing Tuesday morning that he had spoken with Zelaya and had asked him not to do anything that would cause trouble for the embassy.
Zelaya said Monday that he does not want violence and seeks to open a dialogue with Micheletti. The Honduran government broadcast an announcement saying that Zelaya would be held responsible for any violent acts.
Telesur and the Libertador newspaper reported that electricity has been cut off to some communications media, including Radio Globo and Canal 36 TV.
Zelaya was removed by soldiers in a coup June 28 after he tried to hold an election that day on a measure to allow a president to run for a second consecutive term.
The measure would have asked Hondurans whether they wanted to place a referendum on the November presidential ballot, which would convene a constitutional assembly to consider changing presidential term limits.
Zelaya's term ends in January, and he would not have been subject to any measures adopted by the constitutional assembly.
The nation's supreme court ruled the June ballot initiative was illegal and congress had decreed Zelaya couldn't hold it.
Micheletti has denied that a coup took place, saying that Zelaya was removed legally through constitutional means. He vowed Monday night to stay in power despite Zelaya's return.
It was not publicly known Tuesday how Zelaya got into the country, and he declined to provide details, only telling CNN en Español that he took a 15- to 16-hour trip "with the help of Hondurans." E-mail to a friend
is holed up in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa.
Honduran security forces have cordoned off the embassy, and Zelaya's supporters have been rioting in near the embassy.
From CNN.com:
Honduran military uses tear gas on ousted leader's supporters
- NEW: Brazil's Embassy surrounded after Jose Manuel Zelaya's backers dispersed
Ousted Honduran leader staying at Brazil's Embassy in Tegucigalpa
U.S. Embassy closes in Tegucigalpa, spokesman says- All flights in and out of country canceled; curfew in effect
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (CNN) -- Honduran authorities maintained a security cordon around the Brazilian Embassy in the Honduran capital Tuesday after forcefully dispersing supporters of ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya, who remained holed up inside the embassy.
Honduran troops surround the Brazilian Embassy in the capital, Tegucigalpa, on Tuesday. Police and soldiers blocked off streets throughout the capital to enforce a nationwide curfew in effect until Tuesday evening, CNN en Español reported.
All flights in and out of the country were canceled Tuesday, after all four of Honduras's international airports were also closed.
The measures were the de facto Honduran government's reaction to Zelaya's surprise return Monday.
The government of interim President Roberto Micheletti, who was named by the Honduran congress after the June 28 coup that deposed Zelaya, also isolated the Brazilian Embassy by cutting water, power and phone lines to the building, U.S. Department of State spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters in Washington.
"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," Kelly said. "We urge that all parties refrain from actions that would lead to further unrest."
Kelly said that the American Embassy in Tegucigalpa had closed because of the situation, but that U.S. diplomats remained in contact with both sides in the conflict.
The United States supports dialogue between the two sides, centered on the San Jose Accord, an agreement negotiated by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias.
But in an interview with local network Televicentro, Micheletti said that Zelaya's sudden appearance would not revive negotiations.
Micheletti said his government would send a letter to Brazilian authorities asking them to either give Zelaya asylum in their country or to turn him over to Honduran authorities. Zelaya faces charges of violating the constitution related to a proposed referendum that was at the center of his ouster.
After of clashes in front of the embassy, Zelaya and news reports on Telesur TV said several people were wounded. Those reports could not be independently verified, but Telesur showed an ambulance headed to the scene.
Several people have been arrested, Zelaya and Telesur said. One image broadcast on the station showed a policewoman punching a handcuffed woman in the face.
The station also showed video of water cannons being used to scatter Zelaya supporters and the ousted president's backers throwing rocks and other objects at police.
The demonstrators flipped over and burned a police vehicle, said El Heraldo newspaper, which showed a photograph of an overturned truck on its Web page.
The Honduran government also placed sharpshooters near the embassy and blasted the compound with loud noise to "drive crazy" the people inside, Zelaya said.
Micheletti said Monday night that Zelaya will be arrested if he leaves the embassy. Under international law, a nation's embassy is sovereign territory in the host country and cannot be entered without permission.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said at a news briefing Tuesday morning that he had spoken with Zelaya and had asked him not to do anything that would cause trouble for the embassy.
Zelaya said Monday that he does not want violence and seeks to open a dialogue with Micheletti. The Honduran government broadcast an announcement saying that Zelaya would be held responsible for any violent acts.
Telesur and the Libertador newspaper reported that electricity has been cut off to some communications media, including Radio Globo and Canal 36 TV.
Zelaya was removed by soldiers in a coup June 28 after he tried to hold an election that day on a measure to allow a president to run for a second consecutive term.
The measure would have asked Hondurans whether they wanted to place a referendum on the November presidential ballot, which would convene a constitutional assembly to consider changing presidential term limits.
Zelaya's term ends in January, and he would not have been subject to any measures adopted by the constitutional assembly.
The nation's supreme court ruled the June ballot initiative was illegal and congress had decreed Zelaya couldn't hold it.
Micheletti has denied that a coup took place, saying that Zelaya was removed legally through constitutional means. He vowed Monday night to stay in power despite Zelaya's return.
It was not publicly known Tuesday how Zelaya got into the country, and he declined to provide details, only telling CNN en Español that he took a 15- to 16-hour trip "with the help of Hondurans." E-mail to a friend