SAN JOSE, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Costa Rican President Oscar Arias called on the international community and especially the nations of the Americas to condemn the coup that took place in Honduras earlier on Sunday.

    At a joint press conference with Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, Arias, who won 1987's Nobel Peace Prize, said he regretted the way that President Zelaya was expelled from his nation and such events represent a backward step for democracy in Central America.

    Zelaya "is the constitutional president of Honduras, in my view.This shows that Central America's democratic institutions remain fragile," said Arais.

    Zelaya arrived in Juan Santamaria International Airport, in Costa Rican capital San Jose, at 9 a.m. local time after being seized at his home by soldiers in the early hours of Sunday morning in Honduras capital Tegucigalpa and put on a military plane.

    Arias said he would seek to organize a meeting in Nicaraguan capital Managua, of the Group of Rio nations, which include most of Latin America and the Caribbean. Managua is already set to host a meeting of the Central America Integration System (SICA), which Zelaya will attend as Honduran representative.

    Costa Rica issued a statement formally condemning Honduras coup and calling for the international community to repudiate the actions of that nation's military.