TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AFP) — Nicaragua denied Sunday moving its troops toward the border with Honduras, as claimed by interim Honduran leader Robert Micheletti ahead of the expected return of ousted President Manuel Zelaya.
"These reports are totally false... I have no information on why (Micheletti) made those statements," said Nicaraguan military spokesman Brigadier General Adolfo Zepeda.
Micheletti had earlier told a televised news conference that "in the sector of Nicaragua, some troops are moving toward the border."
But Zepeda retorted that "the army has clear instructions not to interfere in Honduras."
Sunday is a day of rest for the troops, which "have to perform specific tasks and are bound to them on this day," he added.
Micheletti's allegations came just hours before Zelaya, who was removed from power by a military-backed coup one week ago, was due to arrive in Honduras on a Venezuelan plane that departed from just outside the US capital Washington.
The aircraft left slightly after 1900 GMT on the roughly four-hour flight to Tegucigalpa and was expected to land at around 2300 GMT.
Military personnel have surrounded the airport in Tegucigalpa, around which thousands of Zelaya's supporters were gathered in anticipation of his return.
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