Leader ousted from Honduras, successor sign compliant

Cartagena, Colombia - Ousted Honduran leader Manuel Zelaya signed an agreement with his successor Sunday, which will allow the return of Zelaya re-entry of the country and his native country in the Organization of American States.

Shaking hands with smiles, Zelaya and current President Porfirio Lobo sitting in this Caribbean port to sign an agreement which has been developed by Presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Juan Manuel Santos, of the Colombia.

The objective is to put an end to the political crisis caused by the coup of June 2009 Zelaya was sent in exile, which caused the OAS to suspend the Honduras as a member.

The agreement "strengthens the American system... and there is peace and freedom in a fraternal country like Honduras", Santos said.

Earlier, the Colombian leader said by Twitter that the agreement "means the return of Zelaya to the Honduras and his return to the OAS.".

Chavez promised to ensure that the terms of the agreement are respected.

"We will closely monitor that the agreement is met because we know there are forces inside and outside of the Honduras, who will try to boycott the agreement," Chavez said in Caracas, to the Venezuela.

The agreement calls for end to persecution of Zelaya and his supporters and his return in safety to the Honduras. reiterates that the constitution Honduras guarantees the right to request a national plebiscite on the reforms of basic laws; requires respect for the rights of man and of the investigation into possible violations; and demanded a guarantee that Zelaya supporters can participate in the political life of Honduras and 2014 elections as a political party.

"I am pleased to sign a reconciliation agreement for democracy of the Honduran people...". "Don't be afraid of democracy", said Zelaya, who was ousted after he ignored an order of the Court to cancel a national referendum asking if the Honduras should change its constitution. His enemies accuse him of wanting to circumvent a provision limiting Presidents to a single term, a charge he denied.

Lobo called the signing "a day very important for the Honduras", the agreement, it is "for the millions of Hondurasn who choose to live in peace and harmony."

He also urged his compatriots to recognize that it will be good for the country of Zelaya to come home.

"Back to the Honduras without any fear because you will be treated with the respect due to the former President," Lobo said Zelaya.

Santos attended the signing of the "Cartagena Agreement" and Chavez, who is recovering from a knee injury, was represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Venezuelan Micolas Maduro.

Zelaya attended even if a Lobo spokesman had said the former leader would be no step in Cartagena, but rather sign the agreement later in the day, at a forum in Managua, in the Nicaragua, with Presidents Daniel Ortega at the NicaraguaMauricio Funes of El Salvador and Alvaro Colom of the Guatemala.

A statement by the Government of Honduras said that with the agreement, Lobo has complied with the electoral mandate he gave to "achieve unity and national reconciliation."

Lobo was due to meet later with Ortega, Funes and Colom in Managua to discuss regional security issues and the re-entry of the Honduras.

"Zelaya have security and treatment of the former President because he deserves our respect and consideration," Lobo said at a Saturday News Conference.

Zelaya, who lives in exile in Dominican Republic, said last week it intends to return to his native Central America on May 28.

After Zelaya was overthrown by the military and the hustled the Honduras nearly two years ago, international sanctions and the months of negotiations, led by the United States and the OAS failed to convince an interim Government to power.

Honduras took place in November 2009, elections, which had been planned before the coup and Lobo was voted to the Office. The United States and other countries restored ties shortly after Lobo took power in January 2010.

But to the Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and the Nicaragua object Honduras restore the OAS except Zelaya could return from exile without facing the threat of jail.

Honduras Court of charges of corruption recently deleted and pending arrest of Zelaya warrants, paving the way for the restoration of the country as a member of the OAS.

OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza released a statement saying the agreement "paves the way to return to the Honduras to the hemispheric organization." He said that he would be presented to the permanent Council of OAS Monday.

Return of the Honduras to the OAS should be made official in the General Assembly of the organization in El El Salvador 5-7 June.

Honduras removes all charges against the former President (AP)

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - A Honduran Court rejected the last two remaining charges Monday against the former President Manuel Zelaya, removing a key obstacle to return in the country.

The decision also could pave the way for the return of the country to the Organization of American States, who have expelled Honduras after the coup of June 2009 ousted Zelaya.

In a statement in Washington, Secretary General of the OAS Jose Miguel Insulza said that "this puts an end to uncertainty on the legal status of the former President."

"The main condition for the return of the Honduras the Organization has been met," he wrote in the statement. "I will immediately begin the consultation with the Member States to examine their will to call an assembly to consider the issue."

Honduras was expelled from the OAS and subject to diplomatic isolation after the coup. Most of the recovery relations after Lobo assumed his functions.

A Court of special appeals panel dismissed the charges of fraud and falsification of documents filed against Zelaya after the coup.

The Court said the criminal charges could be improperly overloaded civil law and should be rescinded. Federal prosecutors said that they call you the decision of the Court, with 60 days to file the appeal.

In March, a judge has suspended arrest warrants for related charges, which Zelaya claims are politically motivated.

Zelaya has already said that he would return to the Dominican Republican, where he lives, because he feared for his life. In an interview with the Radio Globo Honduran radio station in March, Zelaya claimed "there are people who want to liquidate me and are still alive, and they have great power.". He added that his enemies include powerful businessmen but gave no other details.

Zelaya did not immediately following the actions of the court Monday.

Campaign Zelaya to rewrite the constitution, possibly to allow his re-election, anger elite of business Honduras in 2009. The military deposed him and he stole the country under threat when he ignored an order from the Supreme Court to cancel a referendum on the constitutional review.

Roberto Micheletti, a former leader of the Congress, took power provisionally, and former President of the National Congress Porfirio Lobo won the end of 2009 Presidency in an election scheduled before the coup. Lobo replaced Micheletti following January.

In April, Lobo met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Colombian leader Juan Manuel Santos in Cartagena, Colombia, where the three agreed that the abandonment of the charges against Zelaya could help the Honduras to return to the Organization of American States. Venezuela and left allies objected to return of the Honduras.