Managua/Tegucigalpa - Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya on Tuesday called upon his compatriots to boycott the presidential election scheduled for November 29. "One cannot talk about elections where there are no guarantees that the will of the people is going to be respected," Zelaya said in a statement that was made public by the Honduran Embassy in Nicaragua.
Zelaya was ousted by a military coup on June 28, although he continues to be recognized by the international community as the country's leader.
In his statement, Zelaya blamed Roberto Micheletti - the former Congress speaker designated to head the government set up after the coup - for having "replaced democracy with a tyranny."
In Tegucigalpa, tens of thousands gathered Tuesday to celebrate the 188th anniversary of the country's independence from Spain. In line with tradition, people gathered at the Tiburcio Carias Andino national stadium to watch a military parade, with Micheletti in the stands.
However, there were no representatives from secondary schools, which traditionally take part in the celebrations. School bands and cheerleaders were absent, as state school teachers unions are supporting Zelaya and as private schools chose to stay away for fear of clashes.
Also conspicuously absent were the diplomats deployed in Tegucigalpa.
"The Honduran people have shown the whole world that we stand together and that we want this peace and this calm," Micheletti said in a brief address.
Thousands of supporters of Zelaya demonstrated on the streets and gathered at the central square in the capital. No violence was reported.
Costa Rican President Oscar Arias said late Monday that he would meet Wednesday with the six Honduran presidential candidates in a last-ditch mediation effort. He said that only four had accepted the invitation so far.
Arias warned that Honduras could become the "Albania of Central America" if it does not reinstate Zelaya. Since the coup, the country has been suspended from membership of the Organization of American States (OAS). It has generally been isolated in the Americas and subjected to economic sanctions.
"There is the risk that the winner of the November 29 elections would not be internationally recognized," Arias said.
His proposal, known as the San Jose Accord but rejected by the interim Honduran government, calls for Zelaya to be reinstated as president to head a government of national reconciliation until his constitutional term ends in January.
Arias said he hoped to persuade the candidates that "they are the most-interested parties in seeing the plan implemented in order to legitimize the electoral process."
Arias is backed by the United States and many Latin American governments but appeared to have little chance of success. The two top presidential candidates, including Elvin Santos of Zelaya's and Micheletti's Liberal Party, have publicly stated their opposition to his plan.
