MEXICO CITY, October 24 (RIA Novosti) - The failure on Friday of talks to resolve the constitutional crisis in Honduras will not affect the date of the November presidential election, a member of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal said.
"To end the polarization of society and prevent Honduras from sinking into the abyss of a civil war, early presidential elections should be held November 29," Enrique Ortez was quoted by Mexican media as saying.
Talks between ousted President Manuel Zelaya and de-facto leader Roberto Micheletti failed Friday over the refusal of the interim government to reinstate Zelaya.
Zelaya was expelled in June and his place was taken by Micheletti, the parliamentary speaker.
Ortez said an opinion poll conducted by his tribunal shows that more than 90% of the population believes the upcoming presidential elections will be transparent.
An election campaign in Honduras is gaining ground and four candidates for the post will contend the election. Porfirio Lobo of the National Party - a landowner who lost to Zelaya at the previous presidential elections, and Elvin Santos, the ruling Liberal Party's candidate and a businessman, are the frontrunners.
Zelaya and Micheletti are both members of the Liberal Party.
Both candidates promise a national unity government and say that if elected they would fiercely fight unemployment and crime.
