Military Removes President of Honduras in Central America

Honduras is a small Central American country about the size of Virginia with a largely poor population of 7.3 million people. It has had a democratically elected government since 1982, but the military still commands power within the internal workings of the government.

This was the first military coup in Central America since the Cold War of the 1980s. 

But some of Zelaya's critics say it was not a coup at all. 

Earlier in the year, President Zelaya attempted a bid to rewrite the Constitution making it possible for him to run for a second term. Just before the coup the Supreme Court ordered Zelaya arrested for trying to illegally extend his stay in power.

What to do with a coup?

	Zelaya supporters wave a Honduran flag in protest of the military coup.

Once President Zelaya was out of the country, the military, backed by the Congress and the Supreme Court, restored civilian government to the president of the Congress and a member of Zelaya's Liberal Party, Roberto Micheletti.

In response, thousands of civilians took to the streets to protest the exile of a man they see as trying to improve living conditions and living wages for the mostly poor country.

No government has yet recognized the legitimacy of the Micheletti government.

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias has attempted several times to mediate between sides, but each declare the other illegitimate and refuse to meet face to face.

Most recently Micheletti threatened Brazil with diplomatic measures if the embassy does not release Zelaya or take him to Brazil.

American relations with Honduras

	Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Zelaya in June of 2009. The U.S. has denounced the overthrow of Zelaya.

The United Nations, the Organization of American States and the European Union condemned the coup and demanded that Zelaya be reinstated to his full position as president.

In response, Micheletti vowed that the former ruler will never return to power and threatened to arrest him if he comes out of the Brazilian embassy.

American aid to Honduras accounts for 20 percent of the country's total budget and is at risk if the situation continues. The United States has already suspended $16.5 million in military assistance programs to Honduras as a result of the coup and a further $180 million in aid could be at risk, according to the New York Times.

Venezuela, headed by Zelaya ally, President Chavez, has also stopped aid and halted oil exports, saying shipments will not resume until the country's ousted president is reinstated.

Chavez has also accused the United States of encouraging the coup, pointing out that under President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, the C.I.A. built a base-camp in Honduras to train Contra rebels to overthrow the democratically elected leftist Sandinista government in neighboring Nicaragua.

Martial law for 24 hours

	Anti-riot police stand watch in the capitol Tegucigalpa where Micheletti has declared martial law.

Over the weekend, de-facto President Micheletti decreed virtual martial law forbidding unauthorized public gatherings, allowing arrests without a judicial order and shutting down news media that threaten "peace and order."

On Monday, masked police officers took over a television station and shut down two media outlets that had been voices of opposition to the coup in June.

However, less then 24 hours later, Mr. Micheletti went on television to ask for “forgiveness from the Honduran people” and call for the Supreme Court to lift the decree “as quickly as possible.”

Meanwhile, Zelaya, addressing the United Nations General Assembly via a mobile phone, said there is a "serious crime is taking place" in his country.

Free and fair elections?

Micheletti maintains that Zelaya was removed legally and that he is the de-facto president until elections scheduled for November 29. 

But the United States says it will not recognize a new president elected under the existing political conditions.