I’m incredibly sad. Apparently my fears are coming true. A young man, Isis Obeth Murillo, has been killed by a gunshot wound. A link to a horrific picture of the young man being carried out can be found here. Viewer discretion advised.

President Zelaya was unable to land, as expected, and has apparently gone to Nicaragua. I’ll post more news as they become available.

UPDATE: Eyewitnesses have stated that the reason the young man was shot was that he was trying to get into the airport perimeter.

Image by rbreve, used with a Creative Commons license

Honduras chancellor Enrique Ortez has said, according to a Reuters article, that the plane carrying deposed president Manuel Zelaya will not be allowed to land. Ortez says that to allow him to land would be reckless endangerment to the lives of both presidents, Zelaya and Micheletti, and the people of Honduas. He has given instructions to this effect, with the support of Interim President Micheletti and the Head of the armed forces, General Romeo Vazquez.

“We cannot allow recklessness, that a president of the republic dies, that a president of the republic is wounded, that anyone dies.”, Reuters reported him saying

Mel, please be reasonable. Don’t endanger yourself. Don’t endanger the presidents who support you. Don’t endanger the people of Honduras. If you believe in peace, as you said yesterday, why, don’t even endanger the lives of your political enemies. Do not insist. Recognize that this is not the time to return.

Thanks everyone for your concern for Honduras. If you believe in God, please pray with us today. No one must be hurt, on either side of the political equation.

Image by Enrique Galeano Morales, used with a Creative Commons license

Mel repeats his intention of returning to Honduras (at midday), thanking his supporters, but tacitly denying responsibility for their violent attacks, such as the several bombs that have been targeted at a restaurant (KFC), government offices, and a radio station (Radio America).

He alluded to the 4th of July celebrations, the US Constitution, Thomas Jefferson, the deep poverty of the Honduran people, and said he would broker the “return of peace” to Honduras. He recalls the turbulent era of coups and political instability during the cold war. He decried the “return of force over reason”.

He said that the Honduran youth had never know a politically repressive regime until now, and that democracy in Honduras has been filled with vice for years and he only sought to change this.

These bland lies glazed with truth only make me numb. Let him lie, as long as he isn’t responsible for war and death when he returns. At least he has publicly eliminated the risk of him staying in office, as some report Chávez demanding.

I pray that today, peace may reign in Honduras, whatever happens. The anger of years of poverty and hypocrisy and corruption are set to boil over, unless we can see that violence only makes our problems worse. I honestly cannot see what might happen today. Let’s pray that no blood may be spilt.

The Catholic church reiterates their position, that Mel Zelaya should not return.

The bishop was much more successful than Micheletti in defending himself. I love the way he said that it was a lie that people had died because of government oppression in the last week.

The call to love and brotherhood is exactly what we need. Please God, let there be absolute peace later today when Zelaya returns.

Micheletti defends himself on CNN.

It’s about time they interviewed him, even though they seemed intent on skewering him. His defense was not flawless, but under the circumstances, I don’t think he could have hoped for more.