Although the de facto government in Honduras decided to expel the Venezuelan officials, Hugo Chávez, Venezuela's President, will not allow his officials to leave the country, he said that the Honduran decision is "illegitimate."

The government headed by Roberto Micheletti decided yesterday to expel the Venezuelan diplomatic officials in Honduras accused of getting involved in "domestic affairs" of the country, as Martha Lorena Alvarado, Honduras' vice chancellor said.

Currently, the Venezuelan ambassador is not in Tegucigalpa because Latin American governments decided after the June 28 coup to take away their diplomatic representation in Honduras, although several officials stayed.

Uriel Vargas, in charge of Venezuelan business in Honduras, said that Hugo Chávez' government will not leave the country because the decision comes from a "de facto" government, therefore, it is "illegitimate."

"We do not recognize Micheletti's government, it's a de facto government, supported by bayonets," said Vargas from the Venezuelan embassy in Tegucigalpa.

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