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WORLD NEWS Monday 24 January 2022

Honduran Congress splits, threatens new president's plans

By MARLON GONZÁLEZ The National Party quickly
Associated Press tried to take advantage, is-
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras suing a statement offering
(AP) — Honduran Presi- to take them in — some-
dent-elect Xiomara Cas- thing that would immedi-
tro faced a growing crisis ately give it the biggest
on Sunday as dueling ses- delegation in Congress if it
sions of the newly elected occurs.
Congress elected different The conflict alarmed U.S.
sets of leaders, threatening diplomats in Honduras,
Castro's ability to carry out who tweeted "a call on the
promised reforms. political actors to maintain
The president is to be inau- calm, establish dialogue,
gurated on Thursday and abstain from violence and
U.S. officials have hoped provocative rhetoric."
she could help battle Castro's party, known as Li-
poverty and insecurity in bre, won 50 seats in the 128-
a country that is a major seat Congress in November
source of uncontrolled mi- elections, so it needs allied
gration. parties — as well as all of its
But a sizable bloc of depu- own votes — to pass legis-
ties from her own Liberty lation.
and Refoundation party re- Political analyst and former
belled against her attempt Honduras' President-elect Xiomara Castro, center, greats supporters of her Liberty and Refounda- presidential candidate Ol-
to build a legislative major- tion Party gathered in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. ban Valladares said the
ity by promising leadership Associated Press dispute could be the result
of Congress to the allied of interference from the
party of her vice president. tional Party of outgoing the outgoing government could prove to be "a stone outgoing Hernández ad-
That split threatens to give President Juan Orlando is trying to scuttle her ad- in the shoe" for Castro's ad- ministration and made it
control of the legislature Hernández — who has ministration before it can ministration. doubtful that Castro would
back to National and Lib- been accused by U.S. fed- start. On Friday night Castro an- be able to count on the full
eral Parties that had traded eral prosecutors of involve- Political analyst Josué Mu- nounced her party, known support of her party to re-
the presidency for genera- ment with drug smugglers. rillo said the dissident leg- as Libre, was expelling 18 solve Honduras' problems.
tions. Another group met at the islators "are really pursuing rebellious legislators. "These Former President Manuel
With the conflict growing, Congress building in Tegu- their own private interests, traitors who are singing like Zelaya, Castro's husband,
hundreds of Castro's sup- cigalpa and elected Cas- whether it be a personal mermaids and say they are said via Twitter that the se-
porters surrounded the leg- tro's favored candidate, ego thing or an unbridled defending the will of the lection of Cálix would not
islative building overnight Luís Redondo. She quickly appetite for power," and people, that's a lie, it is not be recognized and traitors
and the protests led one tweeted recognition of his said the divided Congress true," Castro wrote. would be expelled.q
group of deputies to meet selection and invited him
at a country club near the to the inauguration. LIKE US ON
capital on Sunday. There Both groups claimed to
they confirmed the elec- have a majority.
tion of a dissident to lead The standoff also threatens
Congress. her alliance with the Salva-
While Jorge Cálix promised tion Party of Vice President
to back Castro's policies, Salvador Nasralla — Re-
most of his support came dondo is a member of it — Facebook.com/arubatoday/
from the conservative Na- and raised suspicions that