Honduras: the second coming of Mel

WHAT A third political party has emerged in Honduras, with a real possibility of winning next year’s national elections. LIBRE, founded by ex-president Mel Zelaya, has grown rapidly as voters increasingly repudiate the two major parties that have run the country since the 19th century – National and Liberal.

WHY Since the political crisis of 2009 and the removal from office of then-President Zelaya by the nation’s military, conditions have actually gotten worse Honduras, one of the three poorest countries in the Hemisphere. With Xiomara Castro, Zelaya’s wife, as its candidate for presidential elections scheduled for next March, LIBRE offers a new option to voters. Founded just last year, left-leaning Libre already has the support of 22% of the public, based on polls done in the last few weeks.

WHAT NEXT If LIBRE were to win, Honduras will return to the Venezuelan sphere of interest, including a renewed emphasis on social programs, along with a return to membership in ALBA, the regional trade bloc led by Hugo Chavez. Business will be expected to pay a greater share of public expenses, while some foreign investments, including mining, could be reexamined.

For more information, please contact Esteban Alvarez at [email protected]