Page 36 - The Economist

The Americas
36 The Economist December 9th 2017

Also in this section
37 Was Honduras’s election rigged?
37 Canada’s search for trade partners
38 Bello: A year without Fidel

Honduras’s election (1) national body, not the country’s electoral
Just talking about a revolution commission, to recount all the votes, not
just the tally sheets. Failing that, he would
seek a run-off election between him and
Mr Hernández, which the constitution
doesnotprovide for. Some observersthink
that what Mr Nasralla really wants is to re-
turn to his television career. Manuel Ze-
TEGUCIGALPA laya, who wasdeposed in the coup in 2009
The crisis overa disputed election will probablybe solved atthe negotiating table
and backs Mr Nasralla, has been more vis-
OR a few days, Honduras felt like a could also result in a shady deal that is less ible than the candidate since the election.
Fcountry on the brink of chaos. People about respecting voters’ wishes than Even as they wrangle over the terms of
queued for hours at banks, supermarkets about catering to the interests of Mr Her- a recount, there is speculation that the two
and petrol stations, as they had before a nández and Mr Nasralla. A deal ofany sort candidates are cooking up a private deal.
hurricane in 1998 and a coup in 2009. would probably calm the streets. Failure Mr Hernández would remain president;
Shopkeepers shut early to prepare for loot- could whip them up again. the Alliance would refuse to recognise his
ing. Thousands of people took to the governmentbutwould notcall itssupport-
streets in protest; some banged pots, Talks within talks ers onto the streets. In exchange, Mr Her-
burned tires and hurled Molotov cocktails. On theirface, the talks are about how to ar- nándezwould offerconcessionsincluding,
Security forces killed a dozen people; the rive at an accurate election result. Mr Her- perhaps, fresh elections next year or a pro-
governmentimposed a curfew. On Decem- nández and Mr Nasralla have spent days mise to leave office after his second term.
ber 4th two elite police units denounced with representatives of the Organisation Such a deal would not be unprecedented.
“repression” by the government and dis- of American States (OAS), one of the for- In 2015 Mr Zelaya condemned a decision
obeyed orders to enforce the curfew. eign groups that monitored the elections. by the pliant supreme court to allow Mr
The triggerforthe turmoil wasa general The United States, which has been all but Hernández to run for re-election but did
election held on November 26th, and the mute in public, has also been involved: not stage protests against it. Business
drawn-out, erratic vote count that fol- John Creamer, a senior State Department bosses, who say the crisis is costing the
lowed (see next story). With all the votes official, joined the conversations in Teguci- economy 1bn lempiras ($43m) a day, are
tallied by December 5th, Juan Orlando galpa, Honduras’s capital. The mediators urginga political ceasefire.
Hernández appeared to win re-election as are tryingto brokeran agreement on terms Deal orno deal, fewHonduransbelieve
Honduras’s president. The opposition re- for a vote recount. In a preliminary report that their Machiavellian president will
fuses to accept that. “There is no longer go- on the election, the OAS had called fora re- leave office soon. The police rebellion was
ing to be democracy in Honduras,” thun- count of around 5,000 of the 18,000 tally not the beginning ofa widespread mutiny.
dered Salvador Nasralla (pictured above), sheets, which record vote totals from The officers went back to work after the
a sports broadcaster who came surprising- across Honduras. These are the sheets government said they would get their
ly close to defeatingMrHernández. whose results were reported after an inter- Christmas bonuses plus higher salaries.
The opposition has not relented, and ruption in vote counting, with Mr Nasralla Mr Hernández controls all the Honduran
suspicions of fraud have not diminished. in the lead, on November 27th. The OAS institutionslikelyto rendera verdict on the
ButHondurasno longerfeelslike a country backs a demand by the Alliance, Mr Nas- election, including the electoral commis-
about to spin out of control. That is partly ralla’s coalition, for a full vote recount in sion and the supreme court. He may now
because the candidates are startingto talk. three states where turnout was abnormal- be looking for a way to keep Mr Nasralla
What is unclear is whether the negotia- ly high and for an extension of the dead- and hissupportersquiet. Ifhe findsone, he
tions, if they succeed, will lead to an elec- line to appeal the result. will be damaged but will survive in office.
toral outcome that Hondurans will accept MrHernándezhasagreed to all this. His Hondurans’ faith in democracy will be
asa true reflection ofhowtheyvoted. They rival has so far refused. He wants an inter- hard to repair. 7