U.S. official on panel for Honduras

TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS —  The U.S. secretary of Labor and a former Chilean president were named Sunday to a commission to monitor the creation of a power-sharing government in Honduras, under a U.S.-brokered agreement to end the nation’s 4-month-old political crisis.

Jose Miguel Insulza, the secretary-general of the Organization of American States, said Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and ex-President Ricardo Lagos would arrive in the Central American country Tuesday, accompanied by high-level OAS officials.

Representatives from Honduras’ two major political parties will round out the four-member panel, which will also try to ensure that all sides recognize November presidential elections and that the military is put under the command of electoral officials to safeguard the vote’s legitimacy.

As part of the accord struck Friday, the commission will monitor the creation of a truth commission assigned to investigate the coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya on June 28.

Honduras’ Congress is set to begin debating Tuesday whether Zelaya should be reinstated as part of a unity government.