Honduras President Zelaya Flies Out From Washington
Manuel Zelaya took off for home tonight, but has been told by the government that he will not be able to land in Honduras, and so must go to El Salvador
The exiled president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, took off for home in a Venezuelan plane tonight in an attempt to return to power, even as the interim government told its military to turn away the plane.
Zelaya won wide international support after being ousted in a coup a week ago by the military, but the only prominent escort aboard his plane was the UN general assembly president after Latin American leaders backed out, citing security concerns. Honduras's civil aviation director said Zelaya's plane was being redirected to El Salvador.
Several other planes carrying Latin American presidents, the secretary-general of the Organization of American States and journalists were tonight leaving Washington separately, trailing Zelaya to see what happens in the skies over Honduras before deciding where to land.
Thousands of protesters descended on the airport in the Honduran capital in anticipation of the showdown. Police helicopters hovered overhead. Commercial flights were canceled, and outside the airport about 200 soldiers with riot shields formed a line in front of the protesters.
"The government of President [Roberto] Micheletti has ordered the armed forces and the police not to allow the entrance of any plane bringing the former leader," the foreign minister of the interim government, Enrique Ortez, told The Associated Press tonight.
Flying with Zelaya were close advisers and staff, two journalists from the Venezuela-based network Telesur, and UN general assembly president Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann, a leftist Nicaraguan priest and former foreign minister who personally condemned Zelaya's ouster as a coup d'etat.
With their safety in the air not guaranteed, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa pleaded with the Honduran military forces to avoid bloodshed. "If there is violence the whole world must clearly know who is responsible," he said.
If Zelaya's plane is allowed to land, the others will land as well, Correa said. If not, Correa, the presidents of Paraguay and Argentina and Jose Miguel Insulza, the secretary-general of the Organization of American States, planned to land in El Salvador.
Honduras' new government has vowed to arrest Zelaya for 18 alleged criminal acts including treason and failing to implement more than 80 laws approved by Congress since taking office in 2006.
More details soon
Zelaya won wide international support after being ousted in a coup a week ago by the military, but the only prominent escort aboard his plane was the UN general assembly president after Latin American leaders backed out, citing security concerns. Honduras's civil aviation director said Zelaya's plane was being redirected to El Salvador.
Several other planes carrying Latin American presidents, the secretary-general of the Organization of American States and journalists were tonight leaving Washington separately, trailing Zelaya to see what happens in the skies over Honduras before deciding where to land.
Thousands of protesters descended on the airport in the Honduran capital in anticipation of the showdown. Police helicopters hovered overhead. Commercial flights were canceled, and outside the airport about 200 soldiers with riot shields formed a line in front of the protesters.
"The government of President [Roberto] Micheletti has ordered the armed forces and the police not to allow the entrance of any plane bringing the former leader," the foreign minister of the interim government, Enrique Ortez, told The Associated Press tonight.
Flying with Zelaya were close advisers and staff, two journalists from the Venezuela-based network Telesur, and UN general assembly president Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann, a leftist Nicaraguan priest and former foreign minister who personally condemned Zelaya's ouster as a coup d'etat.
With their safety in the air not guaranteed, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa pleaded with the Honduran military forces to avoid bloodshed. "If there is violence the whole world must clearly know who is responsible," he said.
If Zelaya's plane is allowed to land, the others will land as well, Correa said. If not, Correa, the presidents of Paraguay and Argentina and Jose Miguel Insulza, the secretary-general of the Organization of American States, planned to land in El Salvador.
Honduras' new government has vowed to arrest Zelaya for 18 alleged criminal acts including treason and failing to implement more than 80 laws approved by Congress since taking office in 2006.
More details soon
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