Honduras' courts are ready with arrest warrants for President Manuel Zelaya, who was forced into exile during a Sunday military coup and plans to return to his nation on Thursday, the newly-appointed Foreign Minister Enrique Ortez Colindres said on Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
"Courts have files ready to charge with responsibility for violating the constitution, drug trafficking, organized crime and multi-million-dollar misuse of funds. As soon as he arrives he will be arrested," said Ortez, who was sworn in as foreign minister on Monday.
Zelaya addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, just moments before Ortez spoke to CNN.
"We practically have ready arrest warrants for corruption and lack of security. The disaster that he left in this nation, the president is going to listen to what the judges have to say, but most likely he will end up in jail," Ortez said.
Monday clashes in Honduras left two dead and at least 60 injured, after soldiers broke up rallies by Zelaya sympathizers with gunfire and tear gas. The nation's schools are on strike and soldiers are patrolling the streets of capital city Tegucigalpa.
On Sunday, just hours after Zelaya was seized and forced into exile by hooded and heavily-armed troops, Roberto Micheletti, who had been leader of Honduras' legislature, was sworn in as the nation's president during a legislative session that began with the reading of a resignation letter, purportedly signed by Zelaya. Zelaya has denounced the letter as fake and said he would never resign.
Micheletti swore in five new cabinet ministers on Monday, as most nations issued statements criticizing the coup and at least four nations withdrew their ambassadors to Honduras.