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WORLD NEWS Friday 28 January 2022
Honduras’ next president sworn in amid uncertainty

By SONIA PÉREZ D. José Manuel Zelaya, is her
and MARLON GONZÁLEZ choice for defense secre-
Associated Press tary. Ramón Sabillón, a for-
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras mer National Police chief,
(AP) — Thousands of Hon- who recently returned af-
durans amid a sea of wav- ter years living in exile in the
ing flags in the national sta- United States, was her pick
dium saw Xiomara Castro for security minister.
sworn in Thursday as Hon- Many voters this time said
duras’ first female presi- they were motivated
dent. above all by the possibility
The 62-year-old Castro of removing Hernández’s
faces high expectations National Party from power.
to turn around the deeply Hernández was first elect-
troubled country amid un- ed in 2013 and a friendly
certainty about whether Supreme Court allowed
an unfolding legislative cri- him to overcome a consti-
sis will allow her the support tutional ban on re-election
she needs. and run again in 2017 in an
Relatively smooth elections election plagued by irregu-
and a healthy margin of larities.
victory Nov. 28 came as Federal prosecutors in New
a relief, but political ma- York have repeatedly spo-
neuvering in the run-up to President-elect Xiomara Castro arrives with her husband, former President Manuel Zelaya who was ken of Hernández’s pur-
Castro’s inauguration has ousted by a military coup, for Castro's inauguration as the first female president in Tegucigalpa, ported ties to drug traffick-
muddled the outlook and Honduras, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2022. Associated Press ing, alleging his political
distracted from what was rise was funded in part by
to be a hopeful new be- sistent violence, corruption Marczak, senior director of announced positions. Her drug profits. Hernández has
ginning after the two terms as well as troubled health the Adrienne Arsht Latin son Hector Zelaya, will be not been formally charged
of President Juan Orlando care and educational sys- America Center at the At- her private secretary and and has repeatedly de-
Hernández. tems are just some of the lantic Council. Manuel Zelaya’s nephew, nied the accusations.q
Honduras has been en- pressing challenges await- “The anti-corruption agen-
gulfed by a dispute over ing Castro. da being front and center
who will lead the newly The United States govern- and her (Castro’s) pledges
elected Congress. Two ment, seeing an opportuni- is music to the ears of the
congressional leadership ty to gain an ally in a region Biden-Harris administration,
teams have been selected with few friends, has strong- given its focus on rooting
— neither legitimately ac- ly backed Castro and out corruption not only in
cording to experts — and stands ready to provide Central America but its
their standoff threatens support. In a possible sign global efforts on corrup-
legislative paralysis at a of tensions in the region, tion,” he said.
time that Castro desper- presidents from neighbors Castro has said she plans
ately needs to quickly get El Salvador, Guatemala to formally invite the United
to work addressing Hondu- and Nicaragua were not Nations to set up an anti-
ras’ problems. scheduled to attend. corruption mission in Hon-
Elected lawmakers from Vice President Kamala duras.
Castro’s own Liberty Harris, who was given the José Manuel Suazo, 22,
and Refoundation Party task of addressing the root waited for Castro’s ap- Snow covers the Dome of the Rock Mosque in the Al Aqsa
backed one of their own causes of Central Ameri- pearance inside the sta- Mosque compound in Jerusalem Old city, Thursday, Jan. 27,
to be the new legislative can migration, arrived dium. He said he voted for 2022. Associated Press
body’s president Friday in Tegucigalpa Thursday Castro, and believes many
rather than support Cas- leading the U.S. delega- other young people did Jerusalem blanketed in
tro’s choice, which had tion. too, because he wants her
been agreed with her vice Washington sees areas for to attack corruption and white after rare snowfall
president to win his party’s cooperation on Castro’s end impunity.
support. Neither group priorities of battling corrup- Harris was scheduled to
backed down leading to tion and increasing eco- meet privately with Castro JERUSALEM (AP) — Jeru- Israel Police also closed
salem was blanketed in major highways in the
surreal simultaneous legisla- nomic opportunities in her shortly after her inaugu-
tive sessions Tuesday. country, two areas that ration. Castro and Harris white on Thursday after mountainous West Bank
a winter storm covered due to the hazardous
Luis Ruiz, a 52-year-old could affect decisions by spoke by phone Dec. 10.
Castro supporter and fruit Hondurans on whether to Castro won on her third much of the region’s high- road conditions.
er altitudes with snow.
Snowfall in the hills around
vendor near the Congress, stay or try to migrate to the bid for the presidency. She
said the political disagree- United States. was previously first lady dur- The holy city’s iconic gold- Jerusalem is uncommon,
en Dome of the Rock was occurring perhaps once
ment threatened to divide “Honduras has been a very ing the presidency of her
the country. “She (Castro) difficult partner for the Unit- husband, Manuel Zelaya, dusted in snow. per winter.
Main highways to Jerusa-
A winter storm has been
has to resolve this situation ed States, especially during which was cut short by a
through dialogue,” Ruiz the administration of Juan military coup in 2009. lem and its major arteries battering the eastern
were shut, and schools Mediterranean, bringing
said. “She hasn’t taken Orlando Hernandez for a On Thursday, just hours be-
power and she’s already number of reasons, includ- fore her inauguration, Cas- and businesses closed heavy rains and wind to
for the day as municipal the Middle East. Istanbul
having problems, she must ing the consistent swirl of tro announced her cabi-
show her leadership.” illegal activity around him net picks via Twitter. There snowplows worked to and Athens were covered
clear streets.
High unemployment, per- and his family,” said Jason were two women out of 16 in snow earlier this week.q