Posted Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Citizens in this torn Central American country are going to the polls today to vote in a presidential election widely seen here as the only way out of the political impasse, which started five months ago with the toppling of President Manuel Zelaya.

Abroad, however, a number of leaders have condemned today's elections as an illegitimate exercise under the current climate and say their governments refuse to recognize the winner.

Neither will Zelaya, who has told Honduran supporters to abstain.

Juan Barahona, the Resistance leader, told people ahead of the vote not to protest today for fear of run-ins with the police and military, but left it up to local chapters to decide.

In San Pedro Sula , a city the northwest corner of the country, security forces clashed with pro-Zelaya marchers, shooting tear gas and water cannons to disperse the group.

National Party candidate Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo enjoys a wide lead in the opinion polls. But his top rival Elvin Santos of the Liberal Party – the same party of both Zelaya and his replacement, Roberto Micheletti – seems certain he'll win and has even scheduled a victory parade in Tegucigalpa for Monday.

Both candidates supported the June 28 ouster of Zelaya.

Seventy-year-old Calixto García, a tailor, has seen his fill of Honduran political events, including the country's transition to democracy in 1980.

“Under the circumstances, these are the most important elections we've ever had,” he said.

He believes clean and transparent elections will lead to a resolution of the crisis – echoing the same sentiment expressed by the governments of the United States, Panama, Peru and recently Costa Rica, as well as by 73 percent of Hondurans, according to a recent CID-Gallup poll.

Such countries as Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Guatemala disagree.

García said he voted for Pepe Lobo, raising an index finger dipped in ink to show.

He said he's “very proud” to exercise his vote. “I wasn't scared at all” to come to the polls, he said.

The polls will close at 5 p.m., with first returns expected at 7 p.m.