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TEGUCIGALPA: Newly elected Honduran president Porfirio Lobo has come under pressure from critics of his election, held under the regime that deposed his predecessor, Manuel Zelaya.
Hundreds of Zelaya supporters drove across the Honduran capital late Monday in a noisy protest to reject Sunday's polls, which were hailed as a success by those behind the June 28 coup, who have been criticised for a crackdown on dissent.
Lobo, a wealthy farmer, became the third leader at play in the country's crisis, alongside Zelaya and his bitter rival, de facto leader Roberto Micheletti, who stepped down briefly over the elections.
"The process was legitimate," the 61-year-old Lobo told journalists Monday. "The Honduran people want democracy."
The international community, which was once united in condemnation of the coup, was deeply split over how to react to the poll result.
The United States, the country's main trade partner, underlined its support for the elections but said much more was needed to overcome the crisis.
"It's a significant step for Honduras to go back to order but it's just that. It's only a step and it's not the last step... It's not sufficient," said US assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Arturo Valenzuela.
Zelaya slammed the US reaction on Monday.
"They've changed their foreign policy to support coups as a possible solution to problems in the region," Zelaya said on Ecuadorinmediato, an Ecuadoran website.
Peru, Panama, Colombia and Costa Rica, which mediated first crisis talks, have also said they would support the elections.
But Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and other leftist governments in the region have said they will not recognise the result.
It looked unlikely that leaders meeting at a Latin American and Iberian summit in Portugal would manage to reach a consensus, while countries from the European Union, a main donor to Honduras, had yet to reveal their position.
The division puts in danger US President Barack Obama's attempts for a fresh start with Latin America after a painful history of US intervention.
Zelaya swung to the left and allied with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez after taking office.
He had called for a boycott of the polls.
"The people are with you!" carloads of demonstrators shouted as they passed by a blockade of military police and an armored vehicle placed in front of the Brazilian embassy, where Zelaya has been holed up since returning in September.
Protesters held up their fingers to show they carried no ink marks -- proof that they had not voted.
Zelaya accused electoral officials of inflating first turnout figures, which were higher than 60 per cent.
Lobo, who lost to Zelaya in 2005 presidential polls, vowed to launch a national dialogue, form a unity government and woo back much-needed foreign investment.
He has not ruled out talking to Zelaya, who was ousted after critics said he acted against the constitution and tried to illegally extend term limits.
"If he (Lobo) doesn't strike some kind of compromise with Zelaya, he remains illegitimate in the eyes of most of the region's leaders -- with Brazil the key actor here," Latin America analyst Dan Hellinger, from Webster University, told AFP.
Lobo led with 55.9 per cent of the vote, after more than 60 per cent of ballots were counted.
Shortly afterwards, his main rival, Elvin Santos, who garnered around 38 per cent of votes, conceded defeat.
It was as yet unclear who would hand over power to the new president on January 27, with the crisis far from over in Honduras.
Congress is to vote on Zelaya's brief reinstatement on Wednesday, when Micheletti has said he will return to the de facto leadership.
Rights groups said the elections were marred by the lack of international consensus, and slammed a military crackdown on journalists and activists since the coup.
Security forces in the northern city of San Pedro Sula fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of Zelaya supporters who were protesting during polling Sunday.
- AFP/yb
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