The presidents of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) nations Monday withdrew their ambassadors from Honduras and called on the nations of the continent to act against the coup in Honduras, after an emergency meeting in Managua.

(L-R) Bolivian President Evo Morales, Honduran ousted President Manuel Zelaya, Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Ecuador's Rafael Correa pose for a picture during an emergency meeting of Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) in Managua, capital of Nicaragua on June 29, 2009. The ALBA presidents met here on Monday to discuss the Sunday coup in Honduras. During the meeting, they ordered the withdrawal of their ambassadors from Honduras until ousted President Manuel Zelaya is returned to office in the nation. [Cesar Perez/Xinhua]

In a declaration, the leaders said the ambassadors would stay away until "the legitimate government of President Manuel Zelaya is reinstalled in all its functions."

The declaration bears the signatures of the presidents of Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Nicaragua, and of Cuba's foreign minister.

The leaders said they would not accept diplomats to be sent by the new Honduran government.

"The only diplomatic representation in our nations" is staff appointed by Zelaya, and "by no means will staff designated by usurpers be accredited," the ALBA presidents said in a statement.

The declaration said the signatories would insist on the same treatment for Honduras in other multinational bodies including the Union of South American Nations, the Central American Integration System (SICA), the Caribbean Economic Community, the Group of Rio and the Organization of American States.

The statement also formally declared a state of permanent alert in the ALBA nations in order to "accompany the brave people of Honduras in the struggle they have begun."

The SICA also called on Monday home its ambassadors for consultations, a step that can lead to the full withdrawal of ambassadors.

Honduran ousted President Manuel Zelaya (L) and Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega attend an emergency meeting of Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) in Managua, capital of Nicaragua on June 29, 2009. The ALBA presidents met here on Monday to discuss the Sunday coup in Honduras. During the meeting, they ordered the withdrawal of their ambassadors from Honduras until ousted President Manuel Zelaya is returned to office in the nation. [Cesar Perez/Xinhua]

El Salvador's President Mauricio Funes on Monday told media upon arrival in Managua that he had ordered the closure of the Salvadorian embassy in Honduras. Later, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua decided to halt for 48 hours cross-border trade with Honduras.

On the same day, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry reported that Brazilian ambassador to Honduras, Brian Michael Fraser Neele, will not return to Honduras.

Neele, who was on vacation, was to remain in Brazil due to his government's disapproval of the new Honduran cabinet.

Earlier Monday, Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva condemned the coup in Honduras, saying that his country will not recognize any Honduran government but that of President Zelaya.

Zelaya was seized at his official residence early Sunday morning, and later forced to board a plane to Costa Rica. Later Sunday, Honduras Congress appointed Roberto Micheletti as the acting president after reading a resignation letter that Zelaya said was fake.  

Honduran ousted President Manuel Zelaya (L), Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega (C) and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez attend an emergency meeting of Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) in Managua, capital of Nicaragua on June 29, 2009. The ALBA presidents met here on Monday to discuss the Sunday coup in Honduras. During the meeting, they ordered the withdrawal of their ambassadors from Honduras until ousted President Manuel Zelaya is returned to office in the nation. [Cesar Perez/Xinhua]

(Xinhua News Agency June 30, 2009)