洪都拉斯政变的最后通牒

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Lined up with other Latin American heads of state, Honduras' deposed President Manuel Zelaya attended the inauguration of Panama's new president, an act of defiance against the troops who ousted him in a dawn raid last weekend. On Tuesday, Zelaya addressed the UN, vowing to return to Honduras.

"They expelled me by force and I'm going to return the same way I always return as a citizen and as the president."

Honduras' new government says Zelaya will be arrested immediately if he does return. Meanwhile the Organization of American States has issued an ultimatum, restore Zelaya to power within 72 hours or be banished from the group. But according to the government of Honduras' new acting President Roberto Micheletti, Zelaya has no chance of returning to office. On Wednesday morning, the streets of Honduras' capital Tegucigalpa were calm. But earlier in the week, riot police and Zelaya's supporters faced off. Supporters of the new government also rally. As Honduran citizens brace for more clashes, confusion reigns.

"It is a coup d'etat, really, this situation needs to be clarified."

Zelaya was pushing to extend his term as president. But as his politics leaned left, he lost public support. Honduras is generally known as conservative and pro-Washington. Zelaya's left-wing allies in Latin America as well as U.S. President Barack Obama have condemned the coup. It's the worst political turmoil in Central America in decades.

Manoush Zomorodi, Reuters.

Glossary [only for reference]

 line up [phrasal verb]: if people line up, or if you line them up, they stand in a row or line, or you make them do this

inauguration: an act or ceremony of inaugurating

defiance [uncountable]: behaviour that shows you refuse to do what someone tells you to do, especially because you do not respect them

oust [transitive]: to force someone out of a position of power, especially so that you can take their place

expel [transitive]: to officially force someone to leave a school or organization

the Organization of American States: an international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States. Its members are the thirty-four independent states of the Americas with the exception of Honduras because of the recent overthrow of the president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya.

ultimatum [countable]: a threat saying that if someone does not do what you want by a particular time, you will do something to punish them

restore somebody to power: formal, make someone king, queen, or president again, after a period when they have not been in power

banish [transitive]: to not allow someone or something to stay in a particular place

acting president: a person who temporarily fills the role of an organization's or country's president, either when the real president is unavailable (for example ill or on vacation) or when the post is vacant (for example because of death, injury, resignation, or dismissal).

face off [phrasal verb]: to fight, argue, or compete with someone, or to get into a position in which you are ready to do this

brace for: mentally or physically prepare yourself or someone else for something unpleasant that is going to happen

reign [intransitive]: literary, if a feeling or quality reigns, it exists strongly for a period of time

coup d'etat: or coup for short, which is the sudden, unconstitutional deposition of a legitimate government, by a small group of the State Establishment — usually the military — to replace the deposed government with another, either civil or military.

clarify [transitive]: formal, to make something clearer or easier to understand

lean: to incline in feeling, opinion, action

left-wing: in politics, left-wing, political left, leftist and the Left are terms applied to positions that focus on changing traditional social orders and creating a more egalitarian distribution of wealth and privilege.

turmoil [singular, uncountable]: a state of confusion, excitement, or anxiety