Deposed Honduran leader Manuel Zelaya called for a popular insurrection in his country so he can be returned to power after soldiers removed him at gunpoint in June.

Zelaya urged his supporters in Honduras to strike, march, and carry out takeovers and acts of civil disobedience because that is necessary "when the democratic order of a country is disrupted."

"The Honduran people have the right to insurrection," said Zelaya, speaking in the neighbouring Central American country of Guatemala.

Zelaya said that insurrection was a legitimate democratic right "when faced with a usurping government and a coup-supporting military.

"I want to tell you to not leave the streets, that is the only space that they have not taken from us," he said in comments aimed at supporters in Honduras.

The ousted Honduran leader spoke at a press conference with Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom.

In the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa, acting foreign minister Carlos Lopez said that authorities were still committed to talks aimed at finding a peaceful resolution with Zelaya on Friday in San Jose, mediated by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias.

'Not issuing threats'

"We are not issuing threats," said Lopez, who emphasised that the government of interim leader Roberto Micheletti was in control and the country was at peace.

"We removed the curfew and the government has complete control of the territory," Lopez said.

The head of the Honduran army, General Romeo Vasquez, told AFP that Zelaya was exiled to avoid "deaths and injuries."

Honduran security services "believed it would be dangerous to imprison him," Vasquez said, adding such a move "could have caused deaths and injuries" if his supporters had tried to free him.

"The consequences for the country would have been serious," he said.

Leaders of the new Honduran regime, who have not been recognised by the international community, refuse to describe their move as a coup d'etat.

Zelaya has warned the interim government that it must relinquish power within the week.

"We are giving an ultimatum to the coup regime" that by Friday "they comply with the mandates expressed by international organisations and the constitution of Honduras" demanding his immediate restitution, Zelaya said on Monday in Nicaragua's capital Managua.

If he is not restored to power "the mediation will be considered a failure," Zelaya warned.

Increasingly isolated

Honduras has become increasingly isolated by its neighbours, and the coup was roundly condemned by the United States.

But two days of talks last week mediated by Arias — who won the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize for helping resolve civil wars in Central America — ended without any resolution to the stalemate, as the coup leaders insisted they would remain in power.

Separately the US ambassador to Nicaragua, Robert Callahan, vehemently denied any US role in the coup that toppled Zelaya, describing the charges as "slanderous" and "lies".

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a Zelaya supporter, claimed he had knowledge of US involvement in the coup.

Callahan said that his counterpart in Tegucigalpa, Hugo Llorens, gave protection to Zelaya's wife Xiomara Castro and one of her sons.

Washington is "totally against the coup" and only recognises Zelaya as the president of Honduras, Callahan said.

AFP

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