Ousted Honduran president’s plane not allowed to land
July 6th, 2009 - 4:36 am ICT by IANSTegucigalpa, July 6 (DPA) The Honduran government installed after last week’s coup Sunday prevented the return to the country of democratically elected Honduran President Manuel Zelaya.
Alfredo San Martin, head of Honduras’ Civil Aviation, said the plane carrying Zelaya was diverted to El Salvador. He stressed that the president of any other nation wishing to enter Honduras must have the “relevant authorisation” from Honduran authorities.
The interim Honduran government had said that it would not allow Zelaya to return and had vowed to arrest the ousted president if he did reach Honduran territory.
Zelaya was flying on a private plane - originally bound for Tegucigalpa - with Miguel d’Escoto, a Nicaraguan diplomat and president of the UN General Assembly.
“As president, (I intend) to go accompany my people and ask, logically, for calm, non-violence,” Zelaya said before his departure from Washington.
A second delegation headed by Jose Miguel Insulza, secretary-general of the Organisation of American states (OAS), with presidents Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina, Rafael Correa of Ecuador and Fernando Lugo of Paraguay was due to fly directly to El Salvador later Sunday.
“We will be in San Salvador, waiting to see if (Zelaya) can land (in Tegucigalpa) and would like us to be there, or, otherwise, if he cannot land, we will wait for him in San Salvador,” Correa said in a press conference.
- Two killed in Honduras anti-coup rally (Lead) - Jul 06, 2009
- OAS could suspend Honduras after post-coup leaders balk - Jul 05, 2009
- Honduran president recounts horror of his ouster, vows to return home - Jul 01, 2009
- Honduran government repeals restrictions on freedom - Oct 06, 2009
- Hope in Honduras for talks to end political crisis - Oct 08, 2009
- Ousted President Zelaya re-enters Honduras (Lead) - Jul 25, 2009
- Honduras' Zelaya claims plot to kill him at embassy - Sep 25, 2009
- Ousted President Zelaya back in Honduras - Sep 22, 2009
- Honduran Congress to decide on Zelaya's reinstatement (Roundup) - Oct 30, 2009
- Honduran government orders curfew to block Zelaya's return - Jul 25, 2009
- Honduras breaks off relations with Venezuela - Jul 22, 2009
- Honduras wants to prevent landing of ousted president (Lead) - Jul 05, 2009
- Google Maps error leads to Nicaraguan invasion of Costa Rica island - Nov 06, 2010
- Honduran government extends curfew at border areas - Jul 27, 2009
- Deadly prison fire an accident: Honduras - Feb 22, 2012
Tags: alfredo, authorisation, civil aviation, diplomat, fernandez de kirchner, fernando lugo, honduran authorities, honduran government, honduran president, honduran territory, jose miguel insulza, manuel zelaya, oas, organisation of american states, private plane, rafael correa, san martin, san salvador, tegucigalpa, un general assembly