Honduras' de facto president Roberto Micheletti will give up his controversial post for seven days beginning on Tuesday so that Hon- durans can "concentrate on elections and not on the political crisis," he announced Thursday.

Micheletti became head of state June 28, hours after the military forced President Manuel ``Mel'' Zelaya out of the country at gunpoint. Micheletti, the former head of Congress, has held on to the post since then despite cries from around the world declaring his leadership illegitimate.

He is expected to announce at a speech Thursday night that he will step down from Nov. 24 until Dec. 2. Presidential elections are scheduled for Nov. 29.

Many critics have argued that fair elections cannot take place with a de facto regime in power.

``My purpose with this measure is for the attention of all Hondurans to be concentrated on the electoral process and not on the political crisis,'' according to a copy of his speech obtained by the Herald.

``I anticipate that the decision could be interpreted by those with bad intentions who with their erratic conduct and their intention to provide discord would say that it is a sign of weakness of my government. To those people who contribute nothing to the peace and safety that my country so needs and deserves, I assure them that it is exactly the contrary.''

The position will be filled that week by the council of Secretaries of State, presided by the minister Interior and Justice. Should chaos erupt during his absence, Micheletti plans to resume office.

Some factions in Honduras are calling for people to boycott the elections, because an accord reached between Micheletti and Zelaya fell apart days after it was signed.

The Honduran Congress will vote Dec. 2 on whether to allow Zelaya to finish out the last months of his term.