Leaders from Obama to Chavez blast Honduras coup

By WILL WEISSERT and FREDDY CUEVAS
Associated Press
2009-06-30 05:29 AM

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Surrounded by smog from a bonfire lit by demonstrators, soldiers line up near to the presidential house in Tegucigalpa, Monday, June 29, 2009. Honduras' new leaders defied growing global pressure on Monday to reverse a military coup, arguing that they had followed their constitution in removing President Manuel Zelaya. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

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Supporters of ousted Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya set up barricades near to the presidential house in Tegucigalpa, Monday, June 29, 2009. Honduras' new leaders defied growing global pressure on Monday to reverse a military coup, arguing that they had followed their constitution in removing President Manuel Zelaya. (AP Photo/ Eduardo Verdugo)

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A soldier stands in guard at the presidential residency in Tegucigalpa, Monday, June 29, 2009. Honduras' new leaders defied growing global pressure on Monday to reverse a military coup, arguing that they had followed their constitution in removing President Manuel Zelaya. (AP Photo/ Eduardo Verdugo)

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Honduras' congressional leader Roberto Micheletti, delivers a speech at the National Congress in Tegucigalpa, Sunday, June 28, 2009. Congress voted to accept what it said was President Manuel Zelaya's letter of resignation and Roberto Micheletti, A member of Zelaya愀 party, was sworn in to serve until Jan. 27 when Zelaya's term ends. Soldiers seized Honduras' national palace and sent Zelaya into exile in Costa Rica on Sunday, hours before a disputed constitutional referendum. Zelaya, an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, said he was victim of a coup.(AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

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In this photo taken August 14, 2008, Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya, right, gestures next to Honduras National Congress' President Roberto Micheletti in Tegucigalpa. Soldiers stormed into Honduras' presidential palace early Sunday, June 28, 2009 and forced Zelaya into exile and later in the afternoon, the National Congress voted to accept what it said was Zelaya's letter of resignation and named Micheletti as the country's new president. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio)

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Ousted Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya speaks during a press conference before boarding flight to Nicaragua on the outskirts of San Jose, Sunday, June 28, 2009. Soldiers seized Honduras' national palace and sent the President Zelaya into exile in Costa Rica on Sunday, hours before a disputed constitutional referendum. Zelaya, an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, said he was victim of a coup. Honduras' Congress sworn in Sunday congressional leader Roberto Micheletti as the country's new President. (AP Photo/Kent Gilbert)

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A demonstrator, with a Honduran flag on his shoulders, stands next to a bonfire near to the presidential house in Tegucigalpa, Monday, June 29, 2009. Honduras' new leaders defied growing global pressure on Monday to reverse a military coup, arguing that they had followed their constitution in removing President Manuel Zelaya. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio)

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Police and soldiers are using tear gas outside the Honduran presidential palace to scatter thousands of people protesting a coup that drove President Manuel Zelaya into exile.

Choking protesters are throwing rocks and bottles at the riot forces that are advancing with gas masks and shields.

Shots can be heard but it is not clear whether they are from live ammunition.

Much of the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa remained calm on Monday, with businesses open.

Leaders from around the world are demanding that Honduras reinstate Zelaya, who was arrested Sunday morning.