The Honduran army seized President Manuel Zelaya on Sunday and sent him into exile. Hours later, the country's congress swore in Congressional President Roberto Micheletti to replace Zelaya.
![Honduran President Manuel Zelaya speaks during a press conference at the Juan Santamaria International Airport, 20 kilometers north of San Jose. [Luis Rueda/AFP]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20090629/001ec94a1ee40bb266ca4e.jpg "Honduran President Manuel Zelaya speaks during a press conference at the Juan Santamaria International Airport, 20 kilometers north of San Jose. [Luis Rueda/AFP]") |
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Honduran President Manuel Zelaya speaks during a press conference at the Juan Santamaria International Airport, 20 kilometers north of San Jose. [Luis Rueda/AFP] |
The now ex-president-in-exile says he is the victim of a brutal coup and calls the military action illegal.
Zelaya was arrested in his presidential palace and flew to Costa Rica.
Honduras' congress later revealed what it claimed was a letter of resignation from Zelaya and swore in Congressional President Roberto Micheletti as interim president. But Zelaya told CNN the resignation was "totally false" and he is still president.
Zelaya supporters clashed with soldiers and blocked the street outside the gates of the palace, demanding the soldiers to send back their president.
Eric Amado, Government Supporter, said, "They have kidnapped the president. They have cut our electricity so that we don't have access to the news.
You are the only ones here covering the news. We want our president back, please. Give him back."
The soldiers' action came hours ahead of a disputed referendum that critics say Zelaya wanted to use to remove presidential term limits. The Supreme Court ruled Zeyala's referendum illegal, and the military and the Congress dominated by opposition parties opposed his referendum proposal.
At the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, Zelaya refused recognize any de facto government and pledged to serve out his term.
Manuel Zelaya, President of Honduras, said, "I was taken out of my house, with guns pointed at me by people whose faces were covered. They put me on a
plane without my consent and flew me to San Jose. This is by no means legal. There is no need to request political asylum, but I do ask for hospitality, as I am still the president of Honduras."
Zelaya called on Honduran soldiers to desist, urged citizens to take to the streets in peaceful protests, and asked Honduran police to protect demonstrators.
(CCTV June 29, 2009)
