Tegucigalpa - The Honduran Congress will reject the executive decree that restricts personal freedom in the Central American country, radio stations reported Monday. Honduras' de facto government, through a decree announced Sunday, restricted liberties in response to a call by ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya for his supporters to help him return power.
The decree authorizes police to dissolve unauthorized public meetings and demonstrations. The government banned statements violating "peace, public order or offending human dignity" and authorized the state telecommunications agency Conatel to suspend radio and television broadcasters.
The decree will require legislative ratification because it restricts constitutional liberties.
Jose Miguel Insulza, secretary-general of the Organization of American States (OAS), said Monday that the measures constitute "a sort of state of emergency" and would give a free hand to "those who want to carry out more acts of repression."
Legislators for the Liberal Party - the Honduran ruling party under both Zelaya and de facto Honduran leader Roberto Micheletti - and the opposition National Party would reportedly reject the decree, as would the Christian Democratic Party.
The independent Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) spoke out against the decree, arguing that it is counterproductive ahead of the scheduled November 29 presidential election.
Congress Speaker Jose Alfredo Saavedra and the leaders of several party factions were reportedly meeting with Micheletti to let him know they would reject the decree.
