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A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 27 noveMber 2017

Honduran president likely to be re-elected in disputed vote

By FREDDY CUEVAS Honduras toward a Ven-
Associated Press ezuelan-style crisis — al-
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras luding to the fact Zelaya
(AP) — Honduran President had been backed by the
Juan Orlando Hernandez, late Venezuelan President
a conservative U.S. ally, Hugo Chavez.
appeared likely to win a “God our Lord is with us,
second term on Sunday and we would not do any-
despite opposition claims thing without his divine pro-
that his re-election is an un- tection,” Hernandez said
constitutional power grab. in a final campaign video
Hernandez’s popularity is posted on his Facebook
based largely on a drop page.
in violence in the impov- “We will take a step for-
erished Central American ward to confront those
country, whose homicide who seek chaos and those
rate was once among the who, allied with foreign
world’s worst. Honduras’ forces, try to drag us to a
National Autonomous Uni- system that has brought
versity says the rate has only pain and suffering to
dropped to 59 homicides other societies,” he added.
per 100,000 from a dizzying Turnout appeared to be
high of 91.6 in 2011. heavy across the country
But corruption and drug on Sunday, with relatively
trafficking allegations minor irregularities report-
have cast a shadow over Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez poses for photographers after casting his vote dur- ed. Troops had used mules
his government, and his ing the general elections in Lempira, Honduras, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017. to carry ballot boxes to
re-election bid has fueled (Honduras’ Presidency via AP) some remote communities.
charges that his conser- The 15th of 17 children,
vative National Party has ban on re-election. no democracy; there is a on crime since taking of- Hernandez was born in
trampled the country’s The country’s highest court dictatorship,” Zelaya told fice four years ago, and his a small, mountain city in
institutions in a bid to en- backed the 2009 ouster The Associated Press late campaign website boasts western Honduras. He at-
trench itself in power. of President Manuel Ze- Saturday. “The hypocrisy of praise from U.S. Vice tended a military school,
Fears of just that sort of con- laya. But the current court of the Honduran elite is President Mike Pence, who studied law at the national
solidation — but by a leftist is packed with Hernandez’ evident ... the people will has lauded Hernandez “for university and says he ob-
rival allied with Venezuela supporters and it ruled in have to decide at the bal- his leadership in addressing tained a master’s degree
— led Hernandez’s party 2015 that the constitutional lot box.” Now a leader of security and governance in public administration
to back a military coup in ban was inferior to a citi- the main opposition alli- challenges.” from the State University
2009 against a president it zen’s right to seek re-elec- ance, he warned of possi- The president also has of New York. He was the
accused of plotting to vio- tion, a decision that infuri- ble irregularities in the vote. reached out to evangeli- head of Congress before
late Honduras’ seemingly ated opposition leaders. Hernandez has used the cal Christians and warned winning the presidency in
iron-clad constitutional “Here in Honduras there is military to help crack down that his rivals would carry 2013 elections. q
Venezuela:

Maduro taps general as head of state oil firm

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) National Guard Major Gen- handed more power over dered of the state-run firm ing many senior managers
— President Nicolas Mad- eral Manuel Quevedo will to military officials, which as crude production has of the state oil company.
uro has tapped a high- be president of PDVSA, re- includes key cabinet posts. fallen, helping send the Officials in recent days
ranking member of Ven- placing Stanford-educat- Sunday’s leadership oil-rich country into a finan- jailed six top executives of
ezuela’s military to lead the ed engineer Eulogio Del change comes amid a cial crisis.This year, Venezu- the U.S.-based subsidiary
country’s struggling state Pino.Since taking office in sweeping anti-corruption elan officials have arrested Citgo, five of them holding
oil company. 2013, Maduro has steadily probe that Maduro or- roughly 60 people, includ- dual U.S. citizenship.q