Juan Orlando Hernandez takes no chances in Honduras
Hondurans head to the polls today to elect their next president, as well as 128 members of congress, 20 PARLACEN members, and 298 mayors. All eyes are on the presidential race, however, where Juan Orlando Hernandez is poised to win a second term as president.
The National Party's Hernandez stacked the country's courts, which then conveniently, and largely perceived unconstitutionally, ruled that a prohibition on reelection violates an individual's right to run for office. The ruling was not all that different from what occurred in Nicaragua, where a packed court ruled that term limits were unconstitutional because they violated one's right to run for political office. Hernandez's re-election will most likely come eight years after Manuel Zelaya was removed in a midnight coup because, among other things, he thought that Hondurans should consider changes to the constitutional ban on re-election.
Hernandez hopes that recent moderate economic growth and lower homicide statistics will overshadow political scandals linked to his campaign and party (illicit campaign funds and Cachiros contacts among others). However, he is taking no chances against Salvador Nasralla, the conservative candidate for the Opposition Alliance Against the Dictatorship, dominated by the leftwing Libre party.
Hernandez and the National Party have used government funds to provide solidarity bags to the poor, bags adorned with Hernandez's name and party slogan. All sorts of goodies have been distributed to convince the average Honduran to re-elect the president. Out of fear that they might interfere on election day, the Hernandez government has restricted the entrance of foreigners into Honduras. The leader of Congress has also stated that the army could be used against those who reject the results of today's election.
All countries of the region, including the United States, have their problems with democracy and the rule of law. Honduras is no different but, perhaps, is a more extreme example where in the words of Congressman Jan Schakowsky, "In plain view of the international community and in blatant defiance of his own government’s founding documents, Mr. Hernández is inching closer and closer to authoritarian rule and all-out dictatorship."
The National Party's Hernandez stacked the country's courts, which then conveniently, and largely perceived unconstitutionally, ruled that a prohibition on reelection violates an individual's right to run for office. The ruling was not all that different from what occurred in Nicaragua, where a packed court ruled that term limits were unconstitutional because they violated one's right to run for political office. Hernandez's re-election will most likely come eight years after Manuel Zelaya was removed in a midnight coup because, among other things, he thought that Hondurans should consider changes to the constitutional ban on re-election.
Hernandez hopes that recent moderate economic growth and lower homicide statistics will overshadow political scandals linked to his campaign and party (illicit campaign funds and Cachiros contacts among others). However, he is taking no chances against Salvador Nasralla, the conservative candidate for the Opposition Alliance Against the Dictatorship, dominated by the leftwing Libre party.
Hernandez and the National Party have used government funds to provide solidarity bags to the poor, bags adorned with Hernandez's name and party slogan. All sorts of goodies have been distributed to convince the average Honduran to re-elect the president. Out of fear that they might interfere on election day, the Hernandez government has restricted the entrance of foreigners into Honduras. The leader of Congress has also stated that the army could be used against those who reject the results of today's election.
All countries of the region, including the United States, have their problems with democracy and the rule of law. Honduras is no different but, perhaps, is a more extreme example where in the words of Congressman Jan Schakowsky, "In plain view of the international community and in blatant defiance of his own government’s founding documents, Mr. Hernández is inching closer and closer to authoritarian rule and all-out dictatorship."
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