Oas To Vote On Suspending Honduras

The Organization of American States is meeting Saturday to vote onsuspending Honduras, which has refused its calls to reinstate toppledPresident Manuel Zelaya.

In an apparent show of defiance lateFriday, the country's new government said it no longer recognizes theOAS charter and is withdrawing from the group.

OAS Secretary-general Jose Miguel Insulza during news conference in Tegucigalpa, 03 Jul 2009OAS chief JoseMiguel Insulza flew to Honduras to urge authorities to restore Mr.Zelaya, but the Honduran Supreme Court told him the decision isirreversible, and that the leftist leader will be arrested if hereturns home.

Mr. Zelaya has said he will attempt to go back toHonduras on Sunday, and expects to be joined by Insulza, as well asArgentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, EcuadoreanPresident Rafael Correa and others.

Thousands of Honduransstaged an anti-Zelaya demonstration Friday.  Acting President RobertoMicheletti told the crowd he is the "president of all Honduras." Zelaya supporters also have continued to hold protests against the coup.

Coupleaders accuse Mr. Zelaya of treason and abuse of power.  Soldiersforcibly expelled Mr. Zelaya from Honduras June 28, the day he plannedto hold a referendum on a constitutional change that would allow him toseek another term.  The Supreme Court ruled the referendum was illegal.

Theinternational community has widely condemned the coup.  Severalcountries, including Spain, Italy and France, have withdrawn theirambassadors from Honduras.

The World Bank also has announced itis suspending loans to Honduras.  The U.S. State Department isconsidering freezing aid to the Central American country.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.