TEGUCIGALPA -- Honduras woke up Monday with three presidents: one elected, one on vacation, and another hunkered down at the Brazilian Embassy.

Manuel ``Mel'' Zelaya is claiming electoral fraud from his perch at the embassy, while newly elected leader Porfirio ``Pepe'' Lobo faces a daunting a task: He has to convince the world that he is the legitimate president of Honduras, even if his election took place under a de facto regime denounced here and abroad.

``These elections were convened under a military dictatorship,'' Zelaya told The Miami Herald in a telephone interview Monday. ``There has been violence against my supporters. The people in charge of the Supreme Elections Tribunal are not independent; they were put there by the coup leaders...All these conditions do not create a fair election.''

But there was some good news for Lobo Monday. The United States recognized his government without flat-out saying so. And Colombia, Panama and Peru recognized his victory, as did Costa Rica. As more nations than expected recognized Lobo's triumph, the former congressman, cattle rancher and University of Miami graduate was under greater pressure than ever to take steps to show he will end Honduras' five-month political crisis.

Still, part of Lobo's challenge would be getting the nod from a longer list of countries. On Monday, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Venezuela said they would not recognize the election.

Lobo promised to do everything he could to win international leaders' respect and cooperation and vowed to form a national dialogue commission to heal deepening wounds.

``My campaign slogan was `change now,' because I think we all understand that we need to change now,'' Lobo said at a press conference Monday. ``It's important that we learn and move forward. If we made mistakes in the past, then we need to do better from now on.''

Lobo said he realized there was mixed reaction among world leaders, but vowed to ``travel to as many countries, and talk to whoever I need to talk to, so that the world recognizes Honduras as a free democracy.''

Zelaya was shuttled out of the country at gunpoint on June 28 on charges that he violated several laws when pushing for a referendum -- outlawed by the Supreme Court -- that would have asked voters if they supported the creation of a special body to rewrite the constitution. Congress, the Supreme Court, the attorney general, the military, and even Zelaya's own party saw the poll as a ruse designed to let him stay in power.

Zelaya sought refuge at the Brazilian Embassy two months ago, and has suggested he will remain there until his term is up Jan. 27. As agreed in a political accord, Congress will vote Wednesday on whether to allow Zelaya to finish his term.

``I will not accept any decision by the Congress until there is a political agreement beforehand,'' Zelaya said. ``Honduras has to find a way out, and the only way to do that is through a national and political dialogue.''

An accord to end the crisis called for a national unity government, but the deal flopped when Zelaya, upset that interim leader Roberto Micheletti -- he's on vacation this week -- was presiding over the new government. A deadline to form the unity government passed, and Zelaya declared the deal dead.

He has denied reports that he sought asylum in Nicaragua.

``The election may have passed, but it's the same military officials, the same congress, the same people who worked against me still in power, so what does this fix?'' Zelaya said. ``Absolutely nothing.''