Honduran leaders put top stakes on fair race

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Honduras's interim leaders are betting the country can vote its way out of a coup, even as presidential candidates struggle to campaign amid nationwide curfews and political turmoil.

Cuts in aid and diplomatic isolation have hit the leaders who pushed leftist President Manuel Zelaya from power in June. They argue that a fair presidential vote on Nov. 29 will force the world to accept that Honduras remains a democracy.

"If the process is transparent and people turn out to the polls in large numbers, I guarantee that will make [whoever is elected] the legitimate leader - without a doubt," said Porfirio Lobo, the conservative National Party's candidate, after meeting with Zelaya late Thursday. "Some of our international friends will recognize it right away, and others will do so with thepassage of time."

Zelaya - and many foreign governments, including the United States - say the election will not be legitimate unless he is first restored to power.

But he has stopped short of calling for a boycott and has even been meeting with candidates at the Brazilian Embassy, where he has taken shelter against arrest since sneaking back into the country Monday.

Lobo, who has a slight lead in recent polls, joined three other major party contenders to meet Zelaya on Thursday night to urge him to support the elections.

All six candidates are still trudging ahead with their campaigns.

The leading nominees have limited their appearances to TV spots, news conferences and indoor events surrounded by security.

None of the major candidates talks about the biggest issue dividing Honduras: Whether the coup was wrong and Zelaya should be reinstated. In the coup, Roberto Micheletti was installed as interim president.

In a further setback Friday, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias said the coup-installed government told the Organization of American States that it would not welcome a commission of foreign ministers meant to help break the stalemate, at least not until next week.

Information for this article was contributed by Freddy Cuevas of The Associated Press.