In Honduras, talks between the coup regime and representatives of the ousted President Manuel Zelaya continue today. Zelaya has imposed a Thursday deadline for a new agreement. Both sides have reportedly agreed to five of an eight-point Organization of American States proposal, but the coup regime continues to reject the basic demand of Zelaya’s restoration. On Monday, Zelaya’s foreign minister, Patricia Rodas, warned the situation on the ground is worsening by the day.

Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas: “The situation right now in Honduras, far from improving, is becoming worse each day, even in the midst of a dialog process which began last week under the auspices of the Organization of American States and is now in hiatus due to the fact that the regime is placing serious obstacles to the process of the restitution of the president.”

Rodas also addressed reports of a growing number of foreign paramilitaries inside Honduras hired by the coup regime and wealthy landowners.

Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas: “The use of paramilitary forces of different nationalities has been said to be for the benefit of landowners, to protect their properties due to the escalation in violence. We believe that those are the traditional excuses used to justify the presence of mercenaries to do the dirty job that the armed forces refuse to do.”