Plane carrying Honduras' Zelaya deviates to El Salvador
www.chinaview.cn 2009-07-06 05:44:14   Print

    TEGUCIGALPA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Honduras' Manuel Zelaya, deposed as president a week ago, on Sunday has had to redirect his aircraft to El Salvador, because air authorities will not allow him to land in the nation, according to Honduras' Aviation Agency.

    Earlier on Sunday, the agency ordered the plane carrying Zelaya, who is attempting to return to Honduras, to land in El Salvador instead, according to reports reaching here.

    Zelaya set out from U.S. capital Washington earlier on Sunday, intending to recover his legal status. He was in a small jet aircraft followed by a separate aircraft carrying delegation from the Organization of American States and the presidents of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez, and of Paraguay, Fernando Lugo.

    Supporters were waiting for him at Toncontin Airport, in Honduras' capital, which was surrounded by soldiers and police. Honduras' post coup-government has sealed the streets around the airport.

    The interim government had barred all domestic airports from allowing Zelaya's plane to land and American Airlines, Taca and Delta had halted flights to the nation. Copa and Continental continue to fly, however.

    Some Hondurans began panic buying of food and fuel as tension mounted in Tegucigalpa.

    Zelaya was seized from his bed in the presidential palace in the early hours last Sunday, by hundreds of hooded and heavily armed troops who forced him to board a plane to Costa Rica.

    Roberto Micheletti, who had been the leader of the legislature, took power just hours after a legislative session that began with the reading of a letter, which Zelaya has denounced as fake, which alleged that Zelaya had resigned on health grounds. Micheletti says that scheduled general elections will go ahead as normal on Nov. 29. 

Post-coup Honduras gov't says to prevent landing of any plane carrying Zelaya

    TEGUCIGALPA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Honduras' post-coup government has ordered that any plane carrying deposed president Manuel Zelaya will be prevented from landing, de facto foreign minister Enrique Ortez Colindres told a domestic radio station on Sunday.

    "With the support of the president and the armed forced, as foreign minister, I have given instructions that the plane not enter the country," he told HRN radio. He added that the Civil Aviation Directorate has instructions not to allow any such plane to enter the country, "no matter who comes in it". Full story

Honduras' military seals airports to prevent Zelaya's return

    TEGUCIGALPA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of police and soldiers on Sunday sealed the streets leading to Toncontin Airport, in Honduras capital Tegucigalpa, ahead of the possible arrival of President Manuel Zelaya, who was deposed in a military coup last week.

    All road traffic has been halted since the early hours of Sunday, and the only way to reach the airport is on foot. Full story

Honduras accuses Nicaragua of massing troops on its border

    TEGUCIGALPA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Honduras' post-coup president, Roberto Micheletti, on Sunday accused Nicaragua of massing troops on their shared border, and said that Honduras is capable of defending itself.

    He also called on Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega to respect Honduras' sovereignty. Their shared border is southeast of Honduras capital Tegucigalpa. Full story

Editor: Mu Xuequan
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