Protests in Honduras Remain Calm

According to a representative of MC Tours in Honduras, flights and tourism there in general have not yet been disturbed despite ongoing protests.

Hours after the sitting president was deposed by a military-led coup, a new president of Honduras was sworn in Sunday. But the former president was not ready to give up his powers. The political
developments that swept Honduras over the past weeks and led up to Sunday's coup had the makings of a crisis, but the situation in the Central American nation of 8 million people was calm.

Former President Manuel Zelaya, who had been in power since 2006, wanted to hold a referendum that could have led to an extension of his non-renewable four-year term. The referendum had been ruled illegal by the Supreme Court and opposed by Congress. Congress speaker Roberto Micheletti will serve as interim president until elections are held in November 2009.

Honduras’ borders remain open, and the airports remain operative for regularly scheduled flights outside curfew hours. Continental Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines stated they continue to operate flights as usual; TACA flights are cancelled –since last week– but because of different reasons unrelated to latest events.

There are some small protests by ousted president supporters in Tegucigalpa, the capital city, mainly near the presidential palace. In general, the streets of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula are quiet. Reports from the rest of the country indicate that calm is prevailing, according to the source.