TEGUCIGALPA—Renewed talks to resolve Honduras' deep political crisis collapsed on Friday over whether leftist President Manuel Zelaya could return to power after he was toppled in a June coup.
This is the second time envoys of the ousted President—who returned to Honduras last month to take refuge in the Brazilian embassy—and de facto leader Roberto Micheletti have tried and failed to reach a negotiated settlement.
"As of now we see this phase as finished," Zelaya envoy Mayra Mejia said, referring to the dialogue shortly after midnight.
A previous round of talks mediated by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, and backed by the Organization of American States, also broke down in a stalemate.
Zelaya's camp earlier set an ultimatum for Micheletti's team to present a new offer and pledged to walk away from the table if the proposal did not include Zelaya's reinstatement.
Mejia, in the lobby of the Tegucigalpa hotel where the talks have been held for three weeks, said her team knocked on the door where Micheletti's negotiators were staying but got no response.
Honduras is a headache for U.S. President Barack Obama, who is aiming for better relations with Latin America. Even after the State Department revoked a new round of visas from key coup leaders this week to push Micheletti toward a deal, critics say the United States is not doing enough.
Micheletti's negotiators insist they are still open to dialogue and will present a new proposal to Zelaya on Friday morning. Zelaya has said that is just a play for time and Micheletti has no intention of stepping down.
Soldiers rousted logging magnate Zelaya from his bed and sent him to Costa Rica on June 28 after he upset business leaders, the military and politicians in his own party by moving Honduras closer to Venezuela's socialist President Hugo Chavez.
The Congress and Supreme Court ruled he violated the constitution in a bid to allow for presidential re-elecion, a charge he denies.
