Court official hints at amnesty for ousted leader

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Jul 7, 2:41 PM EDT
Court official hints at amnesty for ousted leader
By WILL WEISSERT
Associated Press Writer

TEGUCIGALPA (AP) -- A Honduran Supreme Court official says political amnesty for ousted president Manuel Zelaya is possible, adding to hints that negotiators are seeking a compromise to a standoff caused by a coup.

Supreme Court spokesman Danilo Izaguirre tells The Associated Press that the government "could push for political amnesty in favor of Zelaya and others involved in the problem."

But he said Tuesday that decision would be up to lawmakers and it would only be for political crimes.

The interim government has said if Zelaya returns, he faces arrest for 18 alleged criminal acts including treason and failing to implement more than 80 laws approved by Congress since he took office in 2006.


Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_HONDURAS_COUP?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-07-07-14-41-55

[Judi Lynn]

1. Honduras crisis: wife of deposed president leads protest

Honduras crisis: wife of deposed president leads protest
The wife of the deposed Honduran president Manuel Zelaya has emerged from hiding to lead the daily protest by his supporters on the streets of the capital Tegucigalpa.

By Philip Sherwell in Tegucigalpa
Published: 6:22PM BST 07 Jul 2009

http://www.telegraph.co.uk.nyud.net:8090/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01438/Tegucigalpa_1438782c.jpg

Honduras' First Lady Xiomara de Zelaya (C), wife of ousted President
Manuel Zelaya, joins a march demanding the restitution in power of
her husband Photo: AFP/GETTY

Xiomara Castro de Zelaya made her first public appearance, along with one of her daughters, since slipping clandestinely back into the city from the family's country home and taking refuge at the US ambassador's residence after her husband was overthrown on June 28.

"The eyes of the world are on Honduras," she said. "President Zelaya will return. He is the president and nobody can take that away from him."

Mrs Zelaya, 49, maintained a low profile as first lady, focusing on charity and educational projects, but she joined the march by her husband's supporters as her he met US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in Washington.

~snip~
When violent clashes broke out as protestors awaited her husband at the airport, Mrs Zelaya revealed that she picked up the phone and called Gen Romeo Vasquez, the army chief who ordered his troops to depose her husband.

"I asked him to stop the army shooting and said 'don't stain your hands with blood'. But the phone went dead," she said.

Asked how she felt when her husband's plane was just a few hundred feet overhead above the capital, tears welled. "You can only imagine," she said.

More:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/honduras/5770195/Honduras-crisis-wife-of-deposed-president-leads-protest.html

[Vidar]

2. Gutsy lady.

[Peace Patriot]

3. "Treason"? Yeah, right. "Failing to implement more than 80 laws..."???

That is a hoot. How about the law against kidnapping the president?

But then, Honduras' current Constitution was written by John Negroponte, so maybe it contains a provision that LEFTIST presidents can be kidnapped and thrust out of the country for raising the minimum wage.

These lovers of "law and order" sure make me laugh.

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Thanks for the photo of Mrs. Zelaya! She looks like a lovely lady--and she clearly is a courageous one!