Arrest warrants issued for Honduran military high command [View All]

[Judi Lynn]

Arrest warrants issued for Honduran military high command
January 6, 2010 9:07 p.m. EST

(CNN) -- Honduran prosecutors on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for the country's six top military commanders for abuse of power in connection with the June 28, 2009, coup that ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya.

The Honduran high command, including Gen. Romeo Vasquez Velasquez, the country's top military chief, face charges for bursting into Zelaya's residence and transporting the president to neighboring Costa Rica, Attorney General Luis Rubi said.

The action deepened a political crisis that remains unresolved, despite a new president being elected in November.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/06/honduras.political.turmoil/index.html

~~~~~~~~~~
Honduras Prosecutor Requests Arrest of Army Chief, EFE Says
By Andres R. Martinez

Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- A Honduran prosecutor asked the Central American nation’s Supreme Court to issue an arrest warrant for the head of the army in connection with the exile of former President Manuel Zelaya, EFE reported.

Federal prosecutor Henry Salgado filed a request seeking arrest warrants for General Romeo Vazquez and five members of his staff, the Spanish news agency said. The six are being investigated for abusing authority and unlawful expatriation, according to the report.

Vazquez said he was unaware of the request, EFE reported, citing local media.

Zelaya was removed from office June 28 and the military flew him to Costa Rica that day. The former president re-entered the country Sept. 21 and has been staying at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa since then.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aHJlieMBm3LM

~~~~~~~~~~
Honduras military chiefs charged with 'abuse of power'
January 7, 2010 - 1:54PM

Honduras' attorney general charged the country's top military chiefs with "abuse of power" for a coup that ousted president Manuel Zelaya, a Supreme Court spokesman told AFP.

"They are various commanders, and the crimes are abuse of power," said Danilo Izaguirre, adding that the court had three days to respond to the charges filed by Attorney General Luis Rubi.

Armed forces chief of staff General Romeo Vasquez Velasquez, Air Force chief Venancio Cervantes and Navy chief Luis Javier Prince were among those accused over the arrest and expulsion of Zelaya to Costa Rica on June 28.

An army spokesman told local radio America that Vasquez had called on military lawyers to take on the case.

Rights groups had called on the country's legal institutions to denounce the military for their involvement in the coup and heavy-handed clampdowns on protests by Zelaya supporters in its aftermath.

More:
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/honduras-military-chiefs-charged-with-abuse-of-power-20100107-lvw8.html