Spaniard found guilty of sedition in Honduras released ahead of new trial

Spaniard found guilty of sedition in Honduras released ahead of new trial
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By m.p. - Nov 4, 2009 - 12:51 PM

Antonio Porta - EFE archive

Antonio Porta maintains his innocence and says he was only in the country to meet a woman he had fallen in love with on the Internet

The Cádiz man found guilty of sedition after his arrest in Honduras during protests in support of the deposed President, Manuel Zelaya, has been released from prison ahead of a new trial which is due to take place.

Antonio Porta, from Chipiona, travelled to Tegucigalpa on 17th November to meet up with a woman he had met over the Internet and had fallen in love with. He was arrested the following Tuesday, for allegedly taking part in the protests held, near his hotel, outside the Brazilian Embassy where Manuel Zelaya had taken refuge.

The 41 year old has always defended his innocence and, indeed, his family claims that he knows absolutely nothing about politics. He is understood to have a mental disability after suffering brain injuries during a traffic accident.

As part of his release conditions, Antonio must remain in Honduras and report to the police station in Tegucigalpa every Monday until his new trial comes up. Another condition, Diario de Cádiz reports, is that throughout that time he must be placed in the charge of a Honduras resident. That responsibility has been taken on by a fellow Spaniard, a businessman who is based in the Honduras capital and who is also from Andalucía.

Porta’s lawyer told the newspaper that he approached the businessman on behalf of his client after the Spanish Consul in Honduras refused to take on the responsibility.

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