U.S. revokes visas of Honduran officials

WASHINGTON – The U.S. government revoked the visas of four members of Honduras’ de facto government Tuesday, escalating the pressure on officials there to reinstate the president, who was kicked out of the country a month ago.

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly did not identify the Hondurans whose visas were yanked, but he indicated that other officials also could have their visas revoked.

The move came two weeks after the start of negotiations aimed at defusing the crisis and helping ousted President Manuel Zelaya return. Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, who is leading the negotiations, has presented a plan that would allow Zelaya back into office, with curtailed powers, until his term expires in January. The proposal was initially rejected by officials in the de facto government, but they have shown signs in recent days that they are softening their position.

The Honduran military detained Zelaya on June 28 and flew him out of the country. Zelaya is an ally of Venezuela’s leftist president, Hugo Chavez, and many Latin Americans see the Honduran’s ouster as a test of the Obama administration’s commitment to democracy in the region.