Honduras: Zelaya’s Aide Leaves Brazilian Embassy
2009-12-02 09:35
Carlos Reina, a close aide of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, was greeted by his wife and supporters as he emerged from the heavily guarded Brazilian embassy on Tuesday.
Reina was holed up in the Brazilian embassy with Zelaya since September.
[Carlos Reina, Advisor to Ousted Honduran President]:
"We call for democratic order to be restored and immediate reinstatement of President Jose Manuel Zelaya, and for the time taken away from his government to be returned. This should be done without exception, four years, not one day more and not one day less."
Hondurans voted for a new president in a controversial election on Sunday, after a military coup ousted Zelaya in June.
Reina says the elections were fraudulent, adding there will be no dialogue with de facto leaders.
[Carlos Reina, Advisor to Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya]:
"We don't accept any dialogue with the de facto government, who want to whitewash the coup and the electoral fraud of the past elections."
On Tuesday, Latin America, Spain and Portugal called for Zelaya to be reinstated as a "fundamental step" for a return to democracy in Honduras.
The United States on Monday recognized the election's outcome but says the vote was only a partial step towards restoring democracy after the coup.
And Brazil does not acknowledge the newly-elected president.
Elected five months after the coup, conservative Porfirio Pepe Lobo is urging Latin American governments to recognize him as the president-elect in order to help pull the country out of a deep political crisis.


