The foreign ministers of the Central American Integration System (SICA) member nations Sunday "strongly condemned" the military coup in Honduras.

The coup which ousted and exiled President Manuel Zelaya was a "brutal tread" on democracy and the rule of law, the ministers said in a statement released at an emergency SICA meeting.

They urged the Honduras' supreme court to restore Zelaya to power immediately, saying that they would not recognize anyone or any government rising from the coup.

A joint conference between the SICA, which includes central American nations such as Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, and the Rio Group of colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, Peru,

Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina will be held on Monday to discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, Zelaya arrived Sunday night in Managua on board a Venezuelan plane to attend a special summit meeting of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA).

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the coup in Honduras was a "grave challenge" to democracy and the rule of law in Latin America upon arriving in Managua for the ALBA gathering. Chavez said he will stand firmly by the side of Zelaya.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, the host of the meeting, said ALBA members will adopt drastic measures to safeguard peace, democracy and the rule of law in Latin American.

Hundreds of troops stormed the presidential residency in Honduras' capital Tegucigalpa in the early hours on Sunday. Zelaya was taken onto a plane and whisked to Costa Rica.

Honduras' congress named speaker Roberto Micheletti as the interim president, who announced a curfew for Sunday and Monday nights.

Officials from the military told Xinhua Sunday morning that the armed forces have controlled the main roads in the capital and cut off traffic links with the outside.

Few people could be seen on most of the streets in Tegucigalpa, and stores and shopping malls were closed.

As night fells in Tegucigalpa, protests continued at the presidential residency, parliament building and other places. Zelaya's supporters refused to leave and some were burning tyres.

They urged the president to be brought back and request the army to withdraw immediately.

The army strengthened patrols over the areas. Tear gas was used to disperse protesters and gun shots were fired to scared them off.

Source:Xinhua