The new Honduran government of President Porfirio Lobo brought fresh corruption charges last week against the exiled Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted as president by last June's coup d'etat. Prosecutors charged Zelaya with diverting $1.5 million in welfare funds to his campaign for a referendum on reforming the constitution. Zelaya said in a statement from the Dominican Republic that the charges "seek personal revenge and worsen the political persecution against me, forgetting national reconciliation." (AP [2], Feb. 27)
Simultaneously, President Lobo replaced the armed forces chief who led the coup against Zelaya. Gen. Romeo Vásquez [3] "is going into retirement and returning to civilian life," Lobo told reporters. Gen. Carlos Antonio Cuellar has been named as his replacement. Vásquez had held the position since 2005, during the administration of Ricardo Maduro, and was ratified by Zelaya in 2008. (LAHT [4], Feb. 25)
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