Only two of Latin America's heads of state were likely to attend the inauguration, government-managed media reported. Panama's President Alberto Martinell was accompanied by Leonel Fernandez, who has offered to give sanctuary to Zelaya and family.

The terms of Zelaya's move into exile were not immediately revealed and confusion returned to Honduran political scene as Zelaya announced he would return home at an unspecified date.

Analysts said it was too early to tell if the inauguration of Lobo signaled the start of a return to normalcy that is badly needed to secure resumption of international aid for the cash-strapped country.

Zelaya was ousted from power in June last year and exiled at gunpoint after he allegedly tried to stage a referendum as part of a constitutional ploy to extend his term in office.

Zelaya was succeeded by Roberto Micheletti, apparently on orders of the Supreme Court and Congress, but the move was condemned by the United States, European Union and other members of the international community.

Zelaya returned secretly in September and installed himself in the Brazilian embassy, launching an impassioned campaign to wrest power from Micheletti. Zelaya's campaign divided Hondurans and split Latin American leaders into those backing his cause and others abstaining from debate over his future.

The U.S.-backed mediation efforts to have Zelaya reinstalled in office wavered between success and failure right up to the November election of Lobo. But the mediators' attempts to push through a formula for giving the election legitimacy fizzled out. Lobo was elected and immediately challenged by Zelaya and his supporters among Latin American leaders.

Zelaya indicated this week he had mellowed his tirades against Micheletti and Lobo and challenged Lobo to prove his legitimacy through actions not words.

Porfirio Lobo must convince Latin America he is a legitimate president, Zelaya told the Honduran media.

Zelaya said he would be staying in the Dominican Republic at the invitation of Fernandez but would move on to Mexico later.

Zelaya's term in office was marked by major shifts in his political allegiances. He launched himself into the presidency as a moderate conservative but soon aligned with populist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and angered U.S. politicians with anti-American pronouncements while accepting various U.S. aid packages.

The Obama administration's officials mounted a diplomatic effort, aided by the Organization of American States, to have Zelaya restored to constitutional power. But support for Zelaya dwindled amid widespread skepticism over his volatile politics.

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News