Tegucigalpa, Honduras ? Honduras’ interim leaders are betting the country can vote its way out of a coup, even as presidential candidates struggle to campaign amid nationwide curfews and political turmoil.

Global outrage, cuts in aid and diplomatic isolation have hit the leaders who pushed leftist President Manuel Zelaya from power in June. They argue that a fair presidential vote Nov. 29 will force the world to accept that Honduras remains a democracy.

“If the process is transparent and people turn out to the polls in large numbers, I guarantee that will make (whoever is elected) the legitimate leader — without a doubt,” said Porfirio Lobo, the conservative National Party’s candidate, after meeting with Zelaya late Thursday. “Some of our international friends will recognize it right away, and others will do so with the passage of time.”

Zelaya — and many foreign governments, including the United States — say the election will not be legitimate unless he is first restored to power.

But he has stopped short of calling for a boycott and has even been meeting with candidates at the Brazilian Embassy, where he has been taking shelter against arrest since sneaking back into the country Monday.

Lobo, who has a slight lead in recent polls, joined three other major party contenders to talk with Zelaya on Thursday night to urge him to support the elections.

Zelaya was expected to meet with two minor party candidates who back his resistance movement and say they will protest the elections as long as the ousted leader remains out of office.

All six candidates are still trudging ahead with their campaigns — at least as far as they can. It’s not easy campaigning in the aftermath of a coup.

Unlike in past election seasons, there are no rallies before crowds of supporters waving party flags and blowing noisemakers. Campaign posters are quickly ripped down by one side or the other.

The leading nominees have limited their appearances to TV spots, news conferences and indoor events surrounded by security to avoid violence and work around the curfews that are imposed each time tensions spike.

And none of the major candidates talks about the biggest issue dividing Honduras: Whether the coup was wrong and Zelaya should be reinstated.

Instead their speeches focus on unity and reviving an economy, which has been bleeding millions of dollars a day due to foreign sanctions and domestic disruption.