In a communiqué released during the 19th Summit of Iberoamerican Heads of State and Government that concludes today in Estoril, Portugal, the ALBA group urged the rest of the 22 participating countries not to acknowledge the results of the elections in the Central American nation.
 

Prensa Latina news agency reports that the text highlights that the elections can not be recognized by the international community as it would imply the legitimization of last June 28’s military coup against the democratically elected government of Jose Manuel Zelaya.
 

“Blessing the electoral process organized by the dictatorship in power in Honduras represents a harsh blow to the democratic values in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the document notes.
 

“This coup was the beginning of a neo-colonial offensive by the US Government and Latin American national oligarchies that aim at recovering ground in the region in light of the progressive and unstoppable political advancement of our peoples,” the communiqué stresses.
 

The text adds that ALBA supports all the legal actions started by the Honduran people and their constitutional president, Jose M. Zelaya, before international legal bodies to sit the perpetrators of the coup in the dock.
 

“Only the full reinstatement of the democratic order through the unconditional reinstatement of President Zelaya will put an end to the serious violations of human rights and the suspension of constitutional rights,” the document concludes.