Honduras's de facto leader came under increased pressure today to hand power back to the ousted president with Europe halting economic aid and top Latin American officials warning of bloodshed if he does not back down.
Efforts to broker an end to the power struggle in Honduras following a June 28th military coup collapsed on Sunday after interim leader Roberto Micheletti rejected a proposal to reinstate overthrown President Manuel Zelaya.
Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, the frustrated peacemaker in the talks, asked both sides to give him until Wednesday to broker a solution to the crisis. But Mr Micheletti, who was appointed by Honduras's Congress after the coup, appeared unwilling to compromise despite being shunned by foreign governments.
The European Commission tightened the screws on Mr Micheletti today by suspending all budgetary support payments to his government. It had earmarked €65.5 million in payments in the 2007-10 period.
As the interim government digs in its heels, more diplomatic and economic sanctions are expected in coming days. Latin American leaders fear violence in the impoverished Central American country unless Micheletti steps aside.
"Insurrection and confrontation are not a good path to take, but I don't think we will avoid it unless the de facto government shows some flexibility," said Jose Miguel Insulza, the chief of the Organization of American States.
Minutes after the negotiations in Costa Rica fell apart, Mr Zelaya told Reuters that "no one can stop me" from returning to Honduras, a move that the US government has tried to dissuade him from taking due to fears it would trigger violence.
Mr Micheletti has threatened to arrest Mr Zelaya if he sets foot in the country and has put the army on high alert.
A previous attempt by Mr Zelaya to fly home on July 5th was thwarted by Honduran troops who prevented the plane from landing in Tegucigalpa. At least one person was killed in clashes between troops and Mr Zelaya's supporters at the airport.
The two sides were unable yesterday to overcome the major stumbling block in negotiations - Mr Zelaya's return to power.
The Costa Rican president, the mediator in the talks, had proposed that Mr Zelaya be allowed back to Honduras in the coming days to set up a coalition government including rival parties. But Mr Micheletti refused to back down.
"I'm very sorry, but the proposals that you have presented are unacceptable to the constitutional government of Honduras, Mr Micheletti's envoy Carlos Lopez told Mr Arias in the Costa Rican capital, San Jose.
Mr Zelaya's team said it would not continue talks with representatives of Mr Micheletti, whose presidency has not been recognized by any foreign government.
"This dialogue with this commission of the de facto, military coup government is finished," said Rixi Moncada, a Zelaya representative at the talks.
Mr Zelaya left the door open to further talks in the future, but said he thought a negotiated settlement was unlikely.
"You must never close the door on actions of good faith," Zelaya told Reuters in a telephone interview from exile in Nicaragua. "The mediator can continue to make efforts. I do not think that efforts with coup-mongers, just as with terrorists and kidnappers, will work."
Mr Arias held out hope for renewing the dialogue but set himself a three-day deadline. "My conscience tells me that I cannot give up and must continue working for at least three more days and that is what I propose to do," he said.
Mr Arias plans to talk separately with Mr Zelaya, Mr Micheletti, and the Organisation of American States in coming days. It was not clear whether he would call another round of negotiations between the rival sides, possibly for Wednesday.
He warned of political violence in Honduras if diplomacy is abandoned. "What happens if someone shoots at a soldier and a soldier shoots his gun at an armed citizen?
. . .
Bloodshed that the Honduran people don't deserve," he said.
Reuters
