Both referendum and plebiscite can be the properly translated terms, depending on a few issues. Both are terms of art referring to asking the voters a question, usually in regards to some legal issue. A referendum usually means such a question that is asked by the legislature and plebiscite is usually used to describe such a question asked by the executive (a power that the French president has, for example). I have used the term plebiscite because the question originated with Zelaya.

Whether it was a consulta popular, or an encuesta or something else in terms of legality is part of the issue, of course.

http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Parties/Honduras/Leyes/LeyParticipacion.pdf

Thank you.

If I have any issue with what you have written, it is that you contend that there is no legal justification for his removal. But it is my (albeit limited)understanding that he had acted in direct violation of no less than two Supreme Court orders. At what point are his acts necessary and sufficient to warrant removal, and under Honduran law who gets to make that decision?

I am not sufficiently studied in Latin American politics to answer that, but I get concerned when the State Department response is so closely aligned with those from Cuba and Venezuela.