U.S. recognizes Honduras vote with caveats

By Deborah Charles

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday recognized the results of a controversial election in Honduras but said the vote was only a partial step towards restoring democracy after a June coup that ousted the elected president.

The State Department recognized Porfirio Lobo's victory in Sunday's election but said the Honduran Congress still needed to vote on the restoration of deposed President Manuel Zelaya and form a government of national unity.

"While the election is a significant step in Honduras' return to the democratic and constitutional order ... it's only a step and it's not the last step," said Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo Valenzuela.

Before the election, the United States tried and failed to have Zelaya reinstated. Its support of the election upset many Latin American nations, including powerful Brazil, which called Sunday's vote invalid.

Elected five months after a coup forced Zelaya into exile on June 28, Lobo is urging Latin American governments to recognise him as president-elect in order to help pull the country out of a deep political crisis.

Opposition leader Lobo won some 55 percent of the vote, easily defeating ruling party candidate Elvin Santos. A boycott by supporters of Zelaya was ineffective and electoral officials say the turnout was above 60 percent.

Human rights groups say crackdowns on pro-Zelaya media and marches during the campaign put the validity of the vote in doubt.

LOBO WANTS RECOGNITION, SAYS ZELAYA IS THE PAST