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Zelaya Returns to Honduras and Vows to Complete it's "2nd Founding"

from Noticias 24

Tegucigalpa, 27 May (dpa) - Ex-president Manuel Zelaya returns to Honduras on Saturday after nearly 16 months in exile and two years after being deposed with the same mentality and force as when he exited power: to forge a consitutional assembly allowing a "re-founding" of the country, but with the goal of keeping his heterogenous support base united.

Zelaya, the first executive overturned in Honduras in nearly 30 years since the return of the constitutional order, will find a country different than he left it on the 27th of January, 2010, and abandoned the Brazilian embassy and left for the Dominican Republic.

A large part of his popular base that followed him when in power and through his overthrow on the 28th of June, 2009, have left the executive for what they consider his "radicalization", while others distanced themselves for having felt abandoned from his comfortable Dominican exile.

Others, like the leaders of the Liberal Party, have reproached him because during the last two years since the coup d'etat Zelaya virtually abandoned the organization and has only conferred with the National Popular Resitance Front (FNPR), a coalition comprised mainly of Left wing sympathizers.

Leaders like Edmondo Orellana, who was a minister on three different political tickets, said that Zelaya has to define upon his return the group with which he will align, either with Liberalism or the FNPR.

During his exile, Zelaya declared himself a "Liberal ProSocialist", something that was once considered by the ex-president of Congress and Liberal Party candidate as "something contradictory".

The Liberal Party is one of two conservative rgoups that have dominated the Honduran political scene for nearly a century and a half, next to the actual governing "National Party" of President Porfirio Lobo Sosa.

Justly, this is the disjunctive that awaits Zelaya upon stepping upon Honduran soil and that has been advanced by various analysts.

Whilst Zelaya was out of the country he pulled closer to the Leftist FNPR and embraced their anti-systemic discourse and their attacks upon capitalists, and additionally moved closer to the Leftist Latin American President, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

Many militant liberals, the majority from poor and extended countryside and marginalized areas from the cities, support Zelaya, but wish to know whether he will continue to directing his own party or the FNPR, the like of which he urged recognition as a political force in the Cartegena Accords which he signed along with President Lobo last Sunday in Columbia.

On their side, the FNPR have assured their followers that Zelaya has abandoned liberalism and will now dedicate himself to fight for a "re-foundational" process.

Juan Barhona, a sub-coordinator of the front, assured the local press that Zelaya came to power through an "oligarchical party, which the liberal party is," but after being in exile returns with a desire to compromise with the people.

As proof of the division that awaits the followers of Zelaya, Barahona prohibitted the display of the flags of the liberal party, red-white and red, as well as those of the Leftist United Democratic (UD) Party to be displayed on Saturday during his reception and said that only the red and black flags of the FNPR will be permitted.

He has also restricted to the mobilization to the adherents of the ex-president, although in the interior of the country many caravans are being prepared to receive him in Tegucigalpa, the capital. Only time will tell how many will accompany him upon his final return to the country.

By: Wilfredo García (dpa)

Trouble Returns to Honduras

from Noticias 24

TEGUCIGALPA (AP) — Exiled Honduran president Manuel Zelaya assured on Thursday that he will return to this capital after 16 months in the Dominican Republic, to return to live in Honduras.

He thereby rejected sympathiser versions that he would return on the 28th of May for only two days.

"I'll return on Saturday the 28th (of May) to my country, the one that saw my birth, not for a week nor 24 hours, that you have erroneously been told, but for the rest of my life," affirned the ex-executive in a message sent to his followers.

He signalled that, "I do not have a fear of the dangers and adversities."

The president of the Commitee on Human Rights and friend of Zelaya, Andres Pevon, had announced that the ex-governor would come to the country, "on an exploratory basis, would only be there for a day or more, and would later return to the Domincan Republic."

According to Pevon, Zelaya would thereby confirm in Honduras "the personal security guarantees promised by authorities."

The arrival of Zelaya is guaranteed by the Cartegena de Indias Agreement, signed on Sunday in that South American port by himself and Honduran president Porfirio Lobo with presidents Juan Manuel Santos of Columbia and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela as witnesses of honor.

Those executives pushed the mediation process which culminated in the repatriation of Zelaya and the return of Honduras to the Organization of American States (OAS).

The OAS had suspended Honduras' seat following Zelaya removal from power in June of 2009.

Zelaya has scheduled to arrive at Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa where it is anticipated that thousands of sympathisizers from the National Popular Resistance Front will gather to welcome their leader.

Juan Barahona, director of the front, told the AP that, "Zelaya comes to stay, not to leave the country again."

Rasel Tome, Zelaya's legal representative, confirmed that, "the personal security of the ex-president will consist of people with whom he has complete confidence."

He informed us that the Front has coordinated with the police to clear the streets Zelaya and his followers will use on the day of his return.

In the same manner, the authorities have guaranteed the freedom of movement in all national territories for Zelayistas, who will arrive in caravans to see their leader.

Zelaya has lived in Santo Domingo since the 27th of January in 2010, when he travelled their under a safe conduct granted by Lobo, who on that day had assumed presidential powers for a four year term.

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