TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Supporters of ousted President Manuel Zelaya paid tribute Saturday to a teenager killed during protests and expressed fear the interim government will drag out negotiations to resolve the crisis so it can remain in power through November elections.
But a delegate of de facto President Roberto Micheletti who participated in the talks in Costa Rica on Friday said his side has not ruled out the possibility of early elections as a way out of the conflict.
The only consensus reached between representatives of Zelaya and Micheletti during a second round of negotiations Friday was that they would meet again — fueling concern the crisis could continue for months. No date was set for future negotiations.
Micheletti, the congressional leader who was sworn in as president when the military escorted Zelaya out of the country June 28, made no public statements Saturday.
Zelaya, who was in the Dominican Republic, flew to Washington but declined to comment on his plans to reporters before boarding the plane.
But his wife, Xiomara Castro, who attended the demonstration in the capital, Tegucigalpa, said Zelaya “is very excited, confident” that he will return to power with the help of the Organization of American States, the United Nations and “especially the United States,” which have all denounced his ouster.
U.S. officials have promoted the talks in Costa Rica’s capital, hoping to ease Zelaya back into the presidency while resolving the concerns of Honduras’ Supreme Court, Congress and military, which say they legally removed the president for violating the constitution. They accuse him of trying to extend his time in office, though he denies that.
