SUSPICION

US behind Zelaya coup?

08-17-2009 | AP

Panama Star HONDURAS. A top official in Honduras' ousted government charges there was US involvement in the coup that deposed Manuel Zelaya, saying the plane that flew him into exile stopped at an airfield manned by American troops.

Washington has opposed the coup, cut off millions of dollars in aid to the Central American nation and demanded Zelaya be returned to office.

Patricia Valle, who served as Zelaya's deputy foreign minister, says the Honduran military aircraft took off from the capital's Toncontin airport, then landed to take on fuel at the Soto Cano base before heading to Costa Rica. She says Zelaya stayed on the plane during the stop. She didn't offer any proof for that assertion.

Soto Cano, also known as Palmerola, is a Honduran military base that is home to at least 500 US troops engaged in counter-narcotics operations and other missions in Central America.

"The Obama administration has been firm in condemning the coup and demanding my restitution. I do not see reasons to believe that the Obama administration has two faces," Zelaya said last week. "Now, there are some elements of the CIA that could have been involved”.

US Embassy spokeswoman Shantel Dalton said she had no information about Valle's claim and could not comment.

Interim president Roberto Micheletti is withstanding international pressure to restore Zelaya before scheduled Nov. 29 presidential elections.

"I understand he is on vacation, so I hope he doesn't come back," Micheletti said Saturday during a meeting with more than 3,000 army reservists in the northern city of San Pedro Sula.