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Micheletti said he could be open to holding an early presidential election and even a plebiscite on bringing Zelaya back to serve the last few months of his term, if that would calm the global storm over his ouster.

"For the peace and calm of the country I would prefer he (Zelaya) does not come in," Micheletti told Honduran radio on Thursday. "I do not want even one drop of blood spilled in this country," he said, adding that Venezuela's firebrand socialist President Hugo Chavez was steering Zelaya's moves. Earlier, he told reporters he would be "in total agreement" with bringing forward a November 29 presidential election. "I have no objection if it would be a way of resolving these problems," he said. A referendum on reinstating Zelaya to serve the rest of his term was also possible, he said, although it would be "difficult" to hold one immediately.

The crisis has split Hondurans, with supporters of the coup holding rallies and pro-Zelaya demonstrators mounting rowdy protests, burning tires and building barricades, in recent days. Several dozen pro-Zelaya activists have been arrested.

The Congress speaker took office after troops ousted elected leader Manuel Zelaya and flew him to Costa Rica. The removal of Mr Zelaya came amid a power struggle over his plans for constitutional change. Mr Zelaya, who had been in office since 2006, wanted to hold a referendum that could have led to an extension of his non-renewable four-year term. Polls for the referendum had been due to open early on Sunday - but troops instead took him from the presidential palace and flew him out of the country.

US President Barack Obama urged Honduras to "respect the rule of law" and a State Department official said America recognised Mr Zelaya as the duly elected president. The European Union called for "a swift return to constitutional normality". Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, meanwhile, blamed "the Yankee empire", and threatened military action should the Venezuelan ambassador to Honduras be attacked.

Honduras was shaken by street clashes and left politically isolated last night as the international community lined up to denounce a coup which ousted its president, Manuel Zelaya.

Latin America, the United States, the United Nations and the European Union piled diplomatic pressure on the new government to quit just a day after the Honduran army seized the president in his pyjamas and bustled him into exile.

Police and soldiers in the capital, Tegucigalpa, fired tear gas and rubber bullets at several thousand demonstrators who gathered near the presidential palace to demand Zelaya's return. At least 15 people were reportedly injured and several dozen were detained.