U.S. Troops to Leave Honduras First of Week

The 3,100 U.S. troops dispatched to Honduras as a warning to neighboring Nicaragua are expected to return home next Monday and Tuesday, Pentagon officials said today.

The officials, who insisted on anonymity, described the withdrawal schedule as still tentative and subject to last-minute changes, depending upon developments in the region.

“But we said about 10 days for exercises and that’s what it should be,” another source said.

The Pentagon officials noted the soldiers had been airlifted to Honduras over the course of two days last week and said that same procedure would be followed for the withdrawal.

‘Gradual’ Withdrawal

At the White House, presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the withdrawal would be “gradual.”

He said that democratic governments in the region had been “very supportive” of the U.S. deployment and that “we feel we have been responsive and are meeting the needs of the countries in the region.”

Argentina and Colombia have expressed what they describe as grave “concern” about the deployment of U.S. troops.

President Vinicio Cerezo of Guatemala said Tuesday that an isolated border battle could turn into a regional conflict if U.S. troops intervened in the fighting. And Mexican President Miguel de la Madrid said Monday that “the force of law” and not the “law of force” should be used.