U.S. revokes 4 visas of de facto Honduras government

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States revoked diplomatic visas of four members of Honduras' de facto government on Tuesday, trying to force it to back down and allow the return to power of ousted President Manuel Zelaya.

Washington has refused to recognise the government of de facto leader Roberto Micheletti, which took over when Zelaya was toppled in a June 28 coup, and it had already cut $16.5 million in U.S. military aid to the country.

"We don't recognise Roberto Micheletti as the president of Honduras, we recognise 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 that regime," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said.

He did not name the individuals but said the said the diplomatic visas of other members of the government were also being reviewed.

"It is part of our overall policy to the de facto regime," he said, adding that the measure was taken to support mediation efforts to end Central America's worst crisis since the end of the Cold War.

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias has mediated talks between both sides but the negotiations have failed as Micheletti refuses to agree to Zelaya's return to power.

He has instead insisted the leftist leader will be arrested if he sets foot in Honduras.

Zelaya has in recent days questioned whether the U.S. government was doing enough to push for his return, and he urged President Barack Obama to impose sanctions against the coup leaders and members of Micheletti's government.

(Reporting by Sue Pleming and Tim Gaynor; Ediitng by Kieran Murray)

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