Honduras's de facto government said today talks to end a political crisis following last month's coup have been delayed and it is awaiting new proposals from the mediator.
Carlos Lopez, the interim government's foreign minister, said it remained open to dialogue. Despite the risk of violence, deposed President Manuel Zelaya has vowed to return to Honduras if there is no deal by the end of Wednesday following the Costa Rica talks.
"I am waiting for a new proposal . . . Honduras is open to dialogue," Mr Lopez told local television. He said talks could resume later this week.
Several thousand supporters of the interim government, installed after the army toppled Mr Zelaya and sent him into exile on June 28, marched peacefully in the capital Tegucigalpa. Dressed in white, they waved blue and white national flags and banners that read "Zelaya is a traitor" and "Peace".
Mr Zelaya has called on the United States yesterday to impose tough new sanctions against the de facto government that toppled him in a coup last month and vows to block his return.
Mr Zelaya said he wrote to US president Barack Obama and asked him to step up the pressure against Honduras's coup leaders.
The army rousted Mr Zelaya from his bed and sent him into exile in his pajamas in a predawn raid on June 28th after accusing him of violating the constitution by trying to extend presidential term limits.
Mr Obama's administration has condemned the coup, cut $16.5 million in military aid and threatened to slash economic aid, but Mr Zelaya said more was needed.
"All this has been insufficient," he said from exile in neighboring Nicaragua, urging new measures against the individuals who ordered and carried out the coup and have joined the interim government.
Talks mediated by Costa Rican president Oscar Arias to resolve the crisis collapsed over the weekend but he asked both sides to give him until today to find a breakthrough.
With negotiations deadlocked and Mr Zelaya vowing to return to Honduras within days, some Latin American leaders fear Central America's worst crisis since the end of the Cold War could flare into violence.
De facto leader Roberto Micheletti, installed by Congress after Mr Zelaya's ouster, said he would not tolerate his foe seeking to return to serve out the rest of his term.
"I call on the people to be calm," Mr Micheletti told a news conference in the capital, Tegucigalpa, late yesterday. "We have an army, we have a police force and we have a people ready to face this kind of situation."
Mr Zelaya said he would give Mr Arias the 72 hours he had requested, but if no deal was reached, he would return to Honduras as early tomorrow despite a standing threat from the de facto government to arrest him immediately.
Reuters