Though US officials sought to downplay their role in the move, a visit to Honduras earlier this week appears to have broken the stalemate between ousted President Manuel Zelaya and the interim government of Roberto Micheletti, and Micheletti has reportedly signed an agreement which will allow Zelaya to return to power.

Manuel Zelaya

The Honduran military expelled Zelaya from the nation in June, following a growing dispute between the president and the nation’s Supreme Court over a referendum and installed Micheletti, the head of parliament and a member of Zelaya’s party, in his place.

Though members of Zelaya’s government have accused the Obama Administration of playing a role in the coup d’etat and the US has a long history of meddling in the nation’s affairs, the US has denied any part in this particular coup and has stood with other Western Hemisphere nations in demanding the restoring of Zelaya.

The exact details of the deal signed today have not been released, but they appear poised to return Zelaya conditionally to power for the few months remaining in his term, which would be followed by a new election in which neither he nor Micheletti could run for president. The US has threatened not to recognize the election if Zelaya remained in exile.