US revokes diplomatic visas for Honduran officials

US revokes visas for Honduran officials

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has revoked the diplomatic visas of four Honduran officials working in its interim government and is reviewing the visa status of other officials and their families, the State Department said Tuesday.

Spokesman Ian Kelly said the revocations and the review affect Honduran officials who were serving the government of ousted President Manuel Zelaya before he was deposed on June 28, but now work for the “de facto regime” of interim President Roberto Micheletti.

“We don’t recognize Roberto Micheletti as the president of Honduras,” he told reporters. “We recognize Manuel Zelaya. And so, in keeping with that policy of nonrecognition, we have decided to revoke official diplomatic visas, or A-Visas, of four individuals who are members of (Micheletti’s) regime.”

Kelly would not identify the officials whose visas were revoked but said they are not currently in the United States. He could not say how many others were being reviewed.

The move, taken by the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, came amid a deadlock in talks mediated by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias aimed at restoring constitutional order to Honduras. The U.S. is backing Arias’ efforts to negotiate Zelaya’s return, something that Micheletti has thus far refused to accept.

“What we are doing is we’re trying to do everything that we can to support this process,” Kelly said.