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UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000888 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV CASC MARR KDEM PHUM ASEC HO
SUBJECT: TFHO1: HONDURAS COUP: LOCAL PRESS WRAP-UP 
09/03/2009 
 
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 887 AND OTHERS 
 
¶1. (U) Summary. This is a round-up of local news reported in 
major Honduran dailies on September 3. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) An "El Heraldo" headline states that President Jose 
Manuel "Mel" Zelaya was greeted in Washington with protests 
and the newspaper features a photo of anti-Zelaya protestors 
near George Washington University.  According to "El 
Heraldo," the protestors were Honduran Americans and, in 
addition to an anti-Zelaya message, demonstrated to show 
their support for Micheletti's government and to defend 
democracy and the constitution.  According to "La Prensa," 
protests against Zelaya for aligning himself with Venezuelan 
President Chavez were held in other states as well. 
 
¶3. (U) Headlines in "La Tribuna," "El Heraldo," and "La 
Prensa" noted that Costa Rican President Oscar Arias stated 
on September 2 in a Sao Paulo based newspaper, "El Diario 
Folha", that he sees the November 29 presidential election as 
a way to end the political crisis in Honduras.  According to 
"El Heraldo," Arias explained that regimes that took power by 
force have given way to elections in Central America. 
According to "El Tiempo," Arias told reporters that the three 
alternatives Micheletti has put on the table do not adhere to 
the basic principles of the San Jose Accord, and thus the 
international community will reject them.  The article 
explains that although none of Micheletti's alternatives 
bring Zelaya back as President, they may bring him back to 
Honduras without reinstating him.  National party 
presidential candidate Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo states in "El 
Tiempo" that Honduran elections must be recognized by 
Hondurans themselves before they are recognized by any 
international organization.  Lobo's quote on the front page 
reads: The San Jose Accord is not the only way to solve the 
crisis. 
 
¶4. (U) Micheletti's Deputy Foreign Minister, Marta Lorena 
Alvarado, publicly asked on September 2 that the Secretary 
listen to the de facto government and recognize the November 
29 elections in Honduras, "El Heraldo" reports.  The article 
notes that Alvarado sees it as only fair that the Secretary 
would meet with Micheletti's people after her meeting with 
Zelaya September 3. 
 
¶5. (U)"El Tiempo" and "La Tribuna" feature photos of 
Ambassador Llorens with captions that say he is leaving the 
country again.  "El Tiempo" includes a short article 
explaining that the Ambassador is the only one Ambassador who 
 stayed in Honduras after the June 28 coup.  (Note: "La 
Tribuna" states that Taiwanese Ambassador John Lai has also 
remained in Honduras after the coup. End note.)  "El Tiempo" 
reports that the Ambassador's trip to the US coincides with 
the Secretary's meeting with Zelaya, but that the nature of 
the Ambassador's US visit has not been specified.  The 
article also states that the US government has cancelled 
visas of some of Micheletti's collaborators, suspended 
issuance of non-immigrant visas to Hondurans, and suspended 
military and education assistance. 
 
¶6. (U) According to CNN en Espanol September 2, Micheletti 
delivered a speech on September 2 in which he stated that 
Zelaya was in Washington specifically to promote further 
sanctions on assistance by the US government.  "El Tiempo" 
reiterates that Zelaya hopes the US will declare the coup a 
military coup. 
 
¶7. (U) Avenue 12 in Los Andes neighborhood in San Pedro Sula 
was confirmed as the location for a march against "chavista" 
politics (See Tegucigalpa 867).  The march has been organized 
by a civic movement called "Honduras Is Ours" and is 
scheduled to take place on Friday September 4.  Press 
September 2 reported that Micheletti is planning to 
participate in the demonstration. 
HENSHAW