Tegucigalpa, Honduras - Honduran authorities began disarming voters in a bid to avoid violent confrontations at Sunday's presidential and parliamentary elections. The order to hand in weapons also applies to gun owners with licences, authorities said Monday. The firearms are due to be returned after the polls.
Meanwhile the Honduran army began the distribution of election materials across the country.
De-facto leader Roberto Micheletti said Thursday he intended to step aside temporarily for one week during the elections, a decision widely hailed as a step towards the resolution of the five-month crisis.
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.
He 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.
Zelaya called on his supporters to boycott Sunday's polls.
