Mr Zelaya has sought refuge inside the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, and has called on supporters who gathered in the streets to go to the embassy.

In an interview with the BBC, he said he was seeking dialogue and a non-violent resolution to the crisis.

Honduran authorities initially denied Mr Zelaya was back. They had threatened to arrest him should he return.

The left-leaning president has been living in exile in Nicaragua since being ousted at gunpoint on 28 June.

The crisis erupted after Mr Zelaya tried to hold a non-binding public consultation to ask people whether they supported moves to change the constitution.

The US has backed Mr Zelaya during his exile and criticised the de facto leaders for failing to restore "democratic, constitutional rule" and the Organisation of American States (OAS) has demanded Mr Zelaya's reinstatement.

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