Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya gave his rival, Roberto Micheletti, one week to step down, saying he was prepared to risk bloodshed to recapture the presidency, which he lost on June 28. Speaking from neighboring Nicaragua, Zelaya accused Micheletti, who is serving as interim president, of trying to sabotage ongoing mediation talks in Costa Rica and using the time to consolidate his power.He also called on the administration to recognize the resolutions of the Organization of American States and the United Nations that demand Zelaya's return. ''The regime is just trying to buy time so it can keep terrorizing,'' Zelaya said. ``The Honduran people are just another victim.''
Zelaya and Micheletti's negotiating teams are expected to resume talks in Costa Rica on Saturday. But if those talks do not produce results, Zelaya said he would pay ''any cost'' to reclaim the presidency. ''Let me come back -- me with the people and you with your bayonets,'' he said. ``And instead of shooting innocent kids, shoot me.''
The last time Zelaya tried to return to Honduras -- on July 5 -- the army blocked the tarmac of the capital's international airport with trucks, keeping his plane from landing. As protesters tried to scale the chain-link fence around Tegucigalpa's international airport, shots were fired and one teen died.
Zelaya was ousted at gunpoint and sent into exile by the army after he had run afoul of the supreme court, the attorney general and his own party. Since then, both he and Micheletti have claimed to be the legitimate leader of this nation of 7.8 million.
The ultimatum came as Micheletti spent Monday consolidating his power by swearing in the nation's top diplomat and its environmental chief. Carlos López Contreras, who had been acting as Micheletti's chief negotiator in the crisis, was named foreign affairs minister and sworn in at the presidential palace. Contreras said the talks would remain his top priority.
In his conference from Nicaragua, Zelaya also called on the government to cease its crackdown on the media and opposition politicians. On Saturday, authorities detained pro-Zelaya reporters with the Venezuelan network Telesur and held them overnight. The government has also been interrupting the transmission of some news programs. In addition, Zelaya said his negotiation team's mobile phones were cut and their bank accounts frozen.
Zelaya said he would spend coming days traveling to Mexico, Guatemala and South America, as he continues his barnstorming tour to maintain support for his cause.
The Micheletti administration has yet to be officially recognized by a single nation. The newly minted foreign affairs minister, Contreras, said he hoped to change that.
The cabinet changes come as Micheletti has been trying to project a sense of normalcy. The curfew, which has been in effect since June 28, was lifted Sunday night. And the government began running public service announcements encouraging Hondurans to vote in the upcoming Nov. 29 general elections. But outside the presidential palace Monday, dozens of workers from the Zelaya administration hovered around the main gate wondering if they still had jobs.
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