Many Hondurans in the US laud president’s ouster

MIAMI — Hondurans in the U.S. organized rallies Tuesday supporting the ouster of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, even as Zelaya prepared to return to his country accompanied by U.N. officials.

A group of about 100 demonstrators gathered Tuesday outside the Honduran Consulate in Atlanta.

In Florida, home to the nation’s largest Honduran community, organizers staged rallies Monday in Miami to show their support for the new government. Another rally was scheduled for Wednesday in Tampa. And still another demonstration was scheduled over the weekend for New York.

“The situation is complex. For the world, for those who aren’t Honduran, it’s worrying that the military ousted Zelaya and four hours later there was a new president,” said Jose Lagos, head of the Miami-based nonprofit Honduran Unity. “But there was no other path. Unfortunately, President Zelaya himself created this situation,” he said.

Lagos maintained the international media is misinformed about what led to Zelaya’s exile. He says Zelaya was trying to violate the Honduras constitution by seeking to extend his rule. The Honduran constitution not only prohibits presidents from serving more than one four-year term but also blocks any change to that section of the constitution.

The United States had privately expressed concerns to Zelaya about changing the constitution but has stood with him since soldiers whisked the pajama-clad leader into exile Sunday morning.

Some who came out for the rallies said they simply wanted more information.

“We don’t want a civil war between our people. We are not in favor or against the ousted president, because the information we have received is too limited for us to pass judgment,” said Gladys Fuentes, who attended the Atlanta demonstration.

Other Honduran community leaders said they wished the military had acted with more transparency but were still relieved to see Zelaya leave.

“That is where the authorities messed up,” said Julio Gagnon, a Washington-based activist who advocates for immigration reform. “Maybe they didn’t arrest him because they didn’t want a martyr. Maybe they gave him the option of leaving or being arrested. We don’t know.”

Still, Gagnon said he feared that if Zelaya remained in power, he would follow the path of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez toward a more socialist state.

Zelaya, a wealthy rancher, has battled with the courts, Congress, the military and even his own party since he was elected more than three years ago. But he retains the support of many of Honduras’ poor and has received strong support from Chavez.

Associated Press Writer Damian Grass contributed to this story.