Tens Of Thousands Of Pro-Government Hondurans March In Capital

Tens of thousands of Hondurans marched on the Capital, Wednesday to show their support for the government, and opposition to former President Zelaya:

Tens of thousands of Micheletti’s supporters rallied in the Honduran capital on Wednesday in one of the biggest demonstrations seen yet. Many chanted “Honduras!”, waved the country’s blue-and-white flag and wore white shirts printed with the slogan “I’m Defending My Constitution.”

They accused Zelaya of being a pawn of his ally, leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

“They wanted to impose communism on us, and we don’t want to be communists,” said retired gardener Florencio Mejia, 80, as he marched in a blue-and white baseball cap, clutching a Honduran flag.

Meanwhile, Honduras’ interim government on Wednesday, offered a compromise to the chief mediator in talks to end the political crisis:

The new proposal comes ahead of a midnight deadline for mediators to achieve the reinstatement of Zelaya, who is threatening to return to Honduras with or with an agreement and seek the prosecution of leaders of the coup that forced him into exile.

The interim government’s Foreign Minister, Carlos Lopez, said in a news conference that his government presented a working draft to Costa Rican President Oscar Arias on Tuesday that was drawn up with the help of a U.S. senator who “has followed the political situation in Honduras with great interest.” He declined to name the senator.

I’d love to know who that US Senator is…a Republican, I hope. Senator DeMint, perhaps?

Zelaya continues to indicate that he may not wait for a negotiated solution:

“I’m going to my country, my people, to reunite with my family, my wife and my children,” Zelaya told Honduras’ Radio Globo in an interview Wednesday from neighboring Nicaragua, where he has been staying at a Managua hotel.

Zelaya said he was gathering Hondurans and Honduran exiles in neighboring countries to participate in his return, and said that once he was reinstated as president, “a process of dialogue and reconciliation and forgiveness will begin, but there will be trial for those who carried out the coup.”

He’s dreaming.

MORE:

YAWWN…

Via al Jazeera:

The deposed president of Honduras has said that he will launch an attempt to return to his country after crisis talks with the de facto government failed.

Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a military-backed coup on June 28, made the announcement on Thursday from Managua, the capital of neighbouring Nicaragua.

But he did not say when he was planning to cross the border and enter Honduras, Sanchez said.

Mariana Sanchez, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Honduras, said: “Zelaya told me that he was leaving at 3pm local time towards the city of Esteli, which is north of Managua.

“Then he will go to Ocotal, which is 25km from the Nicaragua-Honduras border.”

As always, the interim government says Zelaya will be arrested if he crosses the border.

Previously:

Honduran “Coup-Mongers” Kick Venezuelan Diplomats Out Of Country (UPDATED)

US Turns Up Pressure On Honduran Interim Government To Restore Zelaya

Zelaya Vows To Return To Honduras; Asks Intl. Community For Help

Honduras Crisis Talks Resume In Costa Rica

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Proposes Reinstating Zelaya

“Final Battle” In Honduras This Weekend?

Report: Sunday’s Violence In Honduras Orchestrated By Chavez

Obama Lies By Omission On Honduras

Clinton To Meet With Zelaya In Washington This Week

Honduran Military Removes Despot From Power

Obama “Stands With Democracy”, Defends Leftist Despot/Thug/Drug Trafficker

Honduran Military Ordered To Turn Back Zelaya’s jet