 |
|
The ousted President of Honduras Manuel
Zelaya speaks during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New
York, the United States, June 30, 2009. Manuel Zelaya expressed his
gratitude toward the international community and tearfully described the
last moments in his home country before being thrown onto a plane and
whisked away. (Xinhua/Gu Xinrong)
Photo Gallery>>> |
UNITED NATIONS, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Standing before
the United Nations General Assembly here on Tuesday, ousted president of
Honduras Manuel Zelaya expressed his gratitude toward the international
community and tearfully described the last moments in his home country before
being thrown onto a plane and whisked away.
"This resolution is historic," said Zelaya, referring
to the General Assembly's condemnation of the military coup in Honduras on June
28. "It is significant and it will empower every last citizen of the world."
Zelaya expressed his appreciation for the United
Nations and then thanked each regional group from the Americas to Europe, who
had all condemned the coup d'tat and called for the restoration of democratic
order.
"All presidents have passed through times of weakness
in their terms," said the former farmer and cattle rancher. "Often these threats
are nothing more than threats."
"But when these threats are issued behind bayonets or
rifles, then here, in the 21st century, we have not progressed enough," he said.
Never, he said, did anyone tell
him what his crime was and never was he put on trial for the accusations against
him. Rather he has been labelled a populist and a Communist and illegally thrown
out of his country, he said.
 |
|
The ousted President of Honduras Manuel
Zelaya speaks during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New
York, the United States, June 30, 2009. (Xinhua/Gu
Xinrong)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
Describing his last moments in Honduras before being
taken to Costa Rico early Sunday morning, Zelaya said he was awoken by "shouts,
hammering at the door below, and screams."
Zelaya said he was trying to call people on his cell
phone before men wearing full combat gear burst into his room.
"More than eight heavy rifles were pointed at me," he
said. "' Drop that mobile phone or we will shoot,' the men said."
"My mobile phone was ripped from my hand and I said,
'If it is your order, shoot me.'"
"They grabbed my arms and said, 'We're taking you
away.'"
"Fifteen minutes later I was in the airplane, and 45
minutes later I was in Costa Rica," said Zelaya, noting that he was still in his
night clothes when he was dumped at the airport in San Jose.
"These are moments I do not wish to remember," he
said. "It breaks my heart to see humanity slide backwards."
Honduras' Micheletti warns deposed
president Zelaya not to return
TEGUCIGALPA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Honduras' post-coup
leader Roberto Micheletti said that deposed president, Manuel Zelaya, should not
return in a Tuesday interview with domestic radio station HRN.
"If Zelaya loves Honduras he should not come,"
Micheletti said. Zelaya has announced plans to return to Honduras on Thursday,
in the company of the president of the UN General Assembly, the
secretary-general of the Organization of American States (OAS), and the
president of Argentina. Full story
Honduras attorney general issues
arrest warrants for president deposed in coup
TEGUCIGALPA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Honduras' attorney
general, Luis Alberto Rubi, told media on Tuesday that his office had issued
arrest warrants for deposed President Manuel Zelaya and that Zelaya would be
arrested if he attempts to enter Honduras.
"Once he enters the nation he will be arrested by the
National Police, and what's more instructions have been sent to the
International Police," he told local media. Full story
Honduras' Micheletti joins anti-Zelaya
rally in central Tegucigalpa
TEGUCIGALPA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Honduras' post-coup
leader, Roberto Micheletti, joined a rally of sympathizers in a public park in
Honduras capital Tegucigalpa on Tuesday, a day after anti-government rallies
were dispersed by troops with tear gas and shooting.
"They told me a few people with leftist intentions
would try to scare us, but not the brave men and women of our nation,"
Micheletti told a crowd that chanted "Democracy! Democracy!" in response. He
added that existing general election plans would go ahead on Nov. 29 and that a
new president would be sworn in on Jan.27, 2010. Full story
Post-coup Honduras gov't threatens to
jail returning president Zelaya
TEGUCIGALPA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Honduras' courts are
ready with arrest warrants for President Manuel Zelaya, who was forced into
exile during a Sunday military coup and plans to return to his nation on
Thursday, the newly-appointed Foreign Minister Enrique Ortez Colindres said on
Tuesday.
"Courts have files ready to charge with
responsibility for violating the constitution, drug trafficking, organized crime
and multi-million-dollar misuse of funds. As soon as he arrives he will be
arrested," said Ortez, who was sworn in as foreign minister on Monday. Full story
