Unity government pact in limbo as elections near

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By Martha Mendoza ASSOCIATED PRESS

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras | Honduras entered one more phase of uncertainty Friday when ousted President Manuel Zelaya declared a deal that could have returned him to power is defunct, and Roberto Micheletti, who took power after a coup, said the deal has been successfully accomplished.

The Obama administration, caught in the middle of a power struggle in this tiny Central American nation, was urgently pressing for the survival of the accord.

"No, it's not dead, but maybe sleeping for the time being," said State Department spokesman Fred Lash. "Both sides need to return to the table and negotiate the formation of a government of national unity."

Honduras plunged into political crisis four months ago when Mr. Zelaya was forced out of bed in his pajamas by the army and flown to Costa Rica. He sneaked back into his country on Sept. 21, and has been holed up in the Brazilian Embassy ever since under threat of arrest.

With a presidential election just three weeks away, the U.S. and the rest of the international community - which cut off most foreign aid and diplomatic ties after the coup - are urgently seeking a resolution.

But the key players seemed less inclined to find common ground.

"The negotiations have come to an end," said Mr. Zelaya, who huddled with supporters. "We have declared that there is no possibility of recognizing that accord."

Forged last week with the help of U.S. diplomats, the pact gave the two sides until midnight Thursday to install a government with supporters of Mr. Zelaya and Mr. Micheletti, who was named interim president by Congress after Mr. Zelaya was ousted on June 28.

Jorge Reina, a negotiator for Mr. Zelaya, said the pact fell apart because Congress failed to vote on whether to reinstate the deposed president before the deadline for forming the unity government.

The pact did not require Mr. Zelaya's return to the presidency, leaving the decision up to Congress. Mr. Zelaya interpreted that to mean that Congress had to vote on the issue by Thursday.

Supporters of Mr. Micheletti disputed that, saying the pact required that members of the unity Cabinet be in place by Thursday but there is no deadline for Congress to meet.

Shortly before midnight, Mr. Micheletti announced that a unity government had been created even though Mr. Zelaya had not submitted his own list of members.

It was the latest setback for international efforts to resolve the Honduran standoff before Nov. 29 presidential elections, which several Latin American countries have vowed not to recognize if held under the coup-installed government.

The elections had been scheduled before Mr. Zelaya's ouster. Neither he nor Mr. Micheletti is a candidate.

Hundreds of Zelaya supporters gathered outside Congress on Thursday to demand his reinstatement. The protesters said they will boycott the elections if Mr. Zelaya is not allowed to serve out his term, which ends in January.