Tegucigalpa, Honduras - The Honduran de-facto government of Roberto Micheletti has resigned late Thursday, paving the way for a national unity and reconciliation government. The move was announced in a televised statement by the government following an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers, which said all ministers have resigned from their positions in compliance with an agreement brokered last week.
After weeks of negotiations the camps of Micheletti and ousted President Manuel Zelaya agreed on forming a unity government. Talks were brokered by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias.
Zelaya was ousted from office and sent into exile on June 28 in a military coup backed by the Honduran Supreme Court and other institutions. Micheletti's de-facto government has accused Zelaya of violating the constitution. The international community has refused to acknowledge the de facto government as legitimate and has demanded Zelaya's reinstatement.
Honduras is set to hold a general election on November 29, which the international community has refused to recognize as legitimate in the current post-coup setting.
Zelaya secretly returned to Tegucigalpa on September 21, and has since been holed up in the Brazilian embassy in the Honduran capital. He insists on being returned to office before the formation of the unity government.
The Arias-brokered compromise deal foresees Zelaya leading the unity government until a new president takes office following the elections.
However, the Micheletti-camp argues a unity government should be formed irrespective of Zelaya's reinstatement, the decision on which is to be made by the Honduran Congress, leading to a stalemate hampering the implementation of the deal.
