Honduran election campaigns clouded by crisis

By Sean Mattson

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - A bitter four-month dispute over who is president has left many Hondurans too jaded with politics to care about voting for their next leader.

A June coup that toppled President Manuel Zelaya and cut Honduras off from international aid has dampened interest in the Nov. 29 presidential election, which some countries say they won't recognize unless Zelaya is restored first.

As a U.S.-brokered deal to resolve Central America's worst political crisis in two decades crumbled on Friday after de facto leader Roberto Micheletti formed a "national unity" cabinet without Zelaya, already low-profile presidential campaigns slipped further out of sight.

With only three weeks left until the vote, streets that would normally be lined with campaign posters were dominated by post-coup graffiti -- some encouraging an election boycott.

And in what would typically be the height of the flesh-pressing campaign season, the election frontrunner, Porfirio Lobo of the opposition National Party, held small, poorly attended rallies.

His closest challenger, Elvin Santos of the incumbent Liberal Party, has shelved plans for public events until mid-November due to the malaise, his campaign team said.

"The politicians caused this political crisis so I have no interest in voting for them," said Claudia Mencia, 40, glaring disapprovingly from her door at a small street rally for Lobo.

The United States had hoped a deal between Zelaya and Micheletti would smooth the road to elections. But Zelaya has called for a vote boycott, stoking fears an election with Micheletti in office will lack legitimacy.