Honduran MPs debate Zelaya's future

Many Latin American governments warn that they will not restore ties with the incoming administration of right-wing rancher Porfirio Lobo unless Mr Zelaya is allowed to finish his own term, which ends on January 27.

Mr Lobo of the conservative National Party won last week's presidential vote.

Honduras's coup leaders insist that the election shows that their country's democracy is intact, despite the fact that the ballot was conducted by the forces that deposed Mr Zelaya on June 28.

And most Latin American countries, especially left-wing governments, observe that recognising the election would amount to legitimising central America's first coup in 20 years.

Before leaving the Ibero-American summit in Portugal yesterday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said: "We can't pretend nothing happened. If this state of affairs is allowed to remain, democracy will be at serious risk in Latin and central America."

US President Barack Obama's administration is calling for Mr Zelaya's reinstatement, but has stopped short of making it a condition for recognising Mr Lobo's government.

Costa Rica, Peru, Panama and Colombia share the US stance.

Mr Zelaya's reinstatement is not required by a US-brokered pact designed to end the impasse, which was signed by both the deposed leader and coup chief Roberto Micheletti.

The pact requires only that a unity government be created for the remainder of Mr Zelaya's term, while the decision on restoring him to office was left to congress.