Page 12 - aruba-today-20190910

A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 10 sepTember 2019
Hondurans feel fate of their unpopular president lies in US

By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN dez. It is not an unfounded
Associated Press concern considering that
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras Lobo is also named a co-
(AP) — In a closet-sized conspirator in the case
underground hip-hop stu- against Hernández’s broth-
dio in one of the deadliest er and that Zelaya has
neighborhoods in Hondu- faced his own corruption
ras’ capital, Leonardo Si- allegations.
erra believes nothing will Salvador Nasralla, a well-
change in his country until known television sports
the United States decides it commentator who ran on
should. an anti-corruption plat-
In the 28-year-old’s assess- form, lost the November
ment, it is Washington — 2017 election to Hernán-
fearing a leftist alternative dez. Nasralla held the lead
in this Central American when officials said a com-
country important to U.S. puter glitch stopped vote
drug and migration policy counting. When it came
— that is keeping unpopu- back to life hours later, his
lar President Juan Orlando lead quickly evaporated,
Hernández propped up causing many to suspect
even as U.S. prosecutors electoral fraud, something
call him a co-conspirator in the government denies.
his brother’s drug-traffick- Soldiers patrol Tegucigalpa, Honduras, late Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019. As an outsider candidate,
ing case and protesters call Associated Press Nasralla appealed to Hon-
for him to step down. in a 2009 coup as a dem- tect drug traffickers that his 100,000 residents in 2011 to durans fed up with the
From the depths of Tegu- onstration of its role as king- brother Tony was helping 41.4 last year. country’s traditional parties,
cigalpa’s gang-controlled maker in Honduras. move tons of cocaine to- Despite the improved num- but he also allied with Zela-
La Travesía neighborhood The State Department said ward the United States, U.S. bers, the country remains ya’s LIBRE party. That was a
to the halls of the nation’s in a response to written prosecutors said. among the world’s deadli- mistake, Nasralla says now,
congress, Hondurans won- questions that the naming Hernández points to the est, is home to Latin Ameri- “because the main thing
der how long the U.S. gov- of Hernández as a co-con- two dozen drug traffickers ca’s highest inequality rate for the United States is that
ernment can stick with spirator by federal prosecu- extradited to the U.S. under and sees its citizens pouring Honduras doesn’t have a
Hernández. While their pres- tors did not constitute crimi- his administration as proof out decrying systemic cor- leftist government.”
ident jets off to Washington nal charges. “Conversa- that he was not working ruption, a lack of jobs and The U.S. government’s inter-
for meetings and photo tions with current heads of with them. He did not grant the hyper-violent gangs ests in Honduras start with
ops, average Hondurans state are a routine part of an interview request. that maintain a strangle- battling drug trafficking.
are glued to the slow drip diplomacy,” its statement Three days after Hernán- hold on many communities. The country’s geography
of revelations coming from added. “We have a range dez was labeled a co-con- But Hernández’s party and and weak institutions have
a federal courthouse in of diplomatic issues that spirator last month, the top allies control the congress made it a major trans-
Manhattan. are important to address U.S. diplomat in Honduras and he holds the military’s shipment point for South
Hernández has said the al- for the benefit of both our tweeted that he had met support, enabling him to re- American cocaine. The U.S.
legations in the U.S. come countries.” with Hernández “to reaf- sist popular pressure to step Southern Command main-
from drug traffickers seek- In the past year, President firm the collaboration and down. Anti-Hernández pro- tains close relationships
ing revenge against him, Donald Trump has repeat- cooperation between the testers in June burned tires with Honduras’ military
but U.S. prosecutors prom- edly bashed the Hondu- U.S. and Honduras on im- and barricaded key high- brass and the U.S. military
ise will provide evidence in ran government for not portant bilateral issues.” ways, clashed with secu- has an important presence
a trial scheduled for Octo- doing more to keep its Hernández included that rity forces and ransacked at the Soto Cano Air Base
ber showing that Hernán- people from migrating. He tweet in a press release de- stores. north of Tegucigalpa.
dez harnessed his brother’s suspended some aid and fending himself. “Right now there is protest, There are important busi-
drug-trafficking connec- the U.S. continues to pres- A survey by pollster CID/ there is a strong, solid, over- ness interests here as well,
tions to propel his own po- sure Honduras to at least Gallup conducted May 6 whelming rejection (of the starting with U.S. fruit com-
litical fortunes. make it more difficult for mi- -14 said 64% of Hondurans president), but there isn’t panies whose historic pres-
“Particularly in this country grants from other countries disapproved of Hernán- the political component of ence and influence spurred
the influence of the Unit- to cross its territory even if dez’s performance in of- the consent of the United the label “banana repub-
ed States is decisive,” said it can’t stop its own from fice. It said the poll had a States government,” said lic.” During June’s protests
Raul Pineda Alvarado, a leaving. margin of error of three per- Pineda. led by doctors, nurses and
political analyst and former But Honduras remains a centage points. While Hernández stays in teachers, a convoy of sev-
three-term congressman critical, if inconsistent, ally Hernández has suffered a office, Hondurans will con- eral dozen tractor trailers
from Hernández’s National in the drug war. And, ironi- credibility crisis since Hon- tinue to flee the country, hauling bananas for a Dole
Party. cally, the extradition of duras’ Supreme Court said former President Por- Food subsidiary was looted
If the U.S. decides Hernán- drug capos to the U.S. un- cleared the way for his firio Lobo, his predecessor and set on fire.
dez is more trouble than der Hernández could have re-election despite a con- for the National Party. Jorge Cálix, a lawmaker
he is worth his days will be helped build the case stitutional ban. His subse- “For Honduras to ad- from Zelaya’s party who
numbered; if it doesn’t, he against his brother. quent 2017 election win vance and move forward has declared himself a
could finish his term, Pineda U.S. prosecutors say was marred by irregulari- (Hernández) has to step candidate for the 2019
said. Many Hondurans still Hernández took $1.5 mil- ties. The dissatisfaction has aside,” at least while an in- presidential election, said
cite the U.S. government’s lion in trafficking proceeds increased even though vestigation into the allega- that each time it seemed
decision to not pressure for for his campaign to win the the economy has grown tions proceeds, Lobo said. Hernández might be on
the restoration of left-lean- presidency in 2013. Once moderately and Hondu- Hondurans feel the U.S. is the ropes he appeared for
ing President Manuel Ze- in the presidency, Hernán- ras’ homicide rate fell from holding back out of fear of meetings in Washington or
laya when he was ousted dez could allegedly pro- a dizzyingly high 86.5 per who could replace Hernán- at the U.S. Embassy.q