Demonstrations grew Thursday across Honduras by both supporters and detractors of ousted President Manuel Zelaya, ahead of an expected weekend showdown when he plans to return home.
The crisis entered its fifth day with no break in the impasse between the international community and backers of Zelaya's hasty removal on Sunday into exile in his pajamas.
The new government has vowed Zelaya will "never return to power," despite a 72-hour ultimatum by the Organization of American States and growing international pressure.
The OAS on Wednesday threatened to expel Honduras from the regional grouping -- a threat last carried out on Cuba in 1962 -- as European diplomats left and foreign aid froze.
Several news reports said that the organization's secretary general, Jose Miguel Insulza, was shortly headed to Tegucigalpa for talks.
The interim leaders blame Zelaya -- who made a sharp turn to the left, backed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, after taking power almost four years ago -- for violations of the country's constitution and numerous other crimes.
Thousands of anti-Zelaya protesters took to the streets of the northern city of San Pedro Sula Thursday, some carrying placards with pictures of Chavez marked with black crosses.
Thousands of pro-Zelaya protesters came out in Tegucigalpa, including around 20 motorcyclists who let off incense around the Congress building to "purify" it.
Zelaya supporters said they were preparing a wave of demos across the country to coincide with his return.
"They'll be 42 national level demonstrations," said leftist deputy Marvin Ponce, adding that 22 people were still detained after previous protests.
The international community continued to heap pressure on Honduras.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero called Thursday for Zelaya to be reinstated.
"He could have committed acts that could lead to political indictment or in the court, but it is undeniable that a president cannot be held by the military and expelled from the country," he told Spanish National Radio.
"We must be very firm," he said.
France and Spain have recalled their ambassadors to Honduras, while the 27 nations of the European Union have agreed to have no contact with the leadership of Sunday's coup.
Italy and Germany's ambassadors had both just reached retirement and their foreign ministries said they were not sure whether they would be replaced.
Ousted leader Zelaya said in Panama that he had dismissed the Honduran ambassadors in Washington and Brussels because they supported the interim administration and denied there had been a coup, Beatriz Valle, the deposed deputy foreign minister, told AFP.
Elected in 2005 to a non-renewable four-year term, Zelaya clashed with the country's courts, military and politicians in the run-up to Sunday's planned vote on a referendum to change the constitution, which was expected to give him a stab at a second term in office.
"He'll never return to power," said Roberto Micheletti, a member of Zelaya's own Liberal Party who took over the leadership hours after he was ousted, told AFP on Wednesday.
Micheletti was defiant in the face of the growing international isolation.
The Inter-American Development Bank on Wednesday halted aid, following a similar move by the World Bank. And the United States indicated it may follow suit, saying it would wait until Monday before making a decision.
The Pentagon suspended all military activities with Tegucigalpa until further notice, a spokesman said.
Micheletti said he was sending a delegation to the United States next week to explain the coup leaders' side of the story, and suggested Honduras would muddle through until scheduled presidential elections November 29 and a new government takes office in January.
Authorities have extended a 10:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew to Friday, which includes the suspension of some liberties guaranteed by the constitution.
