After Honduras' congress voted overwhelmingly Wednesday night against restoring ousted President Manuel Zelaya to power, the fate of the deposed leader remained in question Thursday.
U.S. State Department officials said Thursday they would continue to work with Honduras, but insisted they continue to recognize Zelaya as the sole legitimate president.
Confined to the Brazilian Embassy, Zelaya listened to the congressional proceedings via radio.
"The lawmakers at the service of the dominant classes ratified the coup d'etat in Honduras," Zelaya said in a statement to reporters after the vote. "They have condemned Honduras to exist outside the rule of law."
In a grueling, eight-hour session, Honduras' congress voted 111-14 to not restore Zelaya's presidential powers. The vote mirrored that of one taken in June supporting Zelaya's removal on charges of treason and abuse of power.
While Zelaya plans his next move, de facto President Roberto Micheletti issued a statement Thursday celebrating the vote as the "final point" to ending the five months of political turmoil.
"The world should listen to the collective voice of the Honduran people and not just the desperate shoutings of a man only concerned with his personal interests," Micheletti said.
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