Xiomara Castro de Zelaya won the recent presidential elections against the ruling party.
On January 27, 2022, Xiomara Castro, wife of former President Manuel Zelaya -deposed in a coup in 2009-, will become the first woman to govern Honduras.
One of his first steps will be to ask the UN to send a mission to support the fight against corruption and ask Congress to repeal the “laws of impunity.”
Castro, 62, of the leftist Partido Libertad y Refundación (better known as the Free Party), said that he will seek to eliminate the regulations that – in his opinion – “have covered up all the corruption” of recent years, alluding to the current government. president, Juan Orlando Hernández.
Honduras “needs the heart of a woman to govern this country, of a mother who feels the needs that the people have,” he stressed.
This was mentioned by Castro in a conversation with AFP via WhatsApp audios, in which he spoke about various issues in his country, but refrained from commenting on the possible restitution of relations with China – currently Honduras recognizes Taiwan – and on his ties with the left.
1. Migration and poverty:
59% of the 10 million inhabitants of Honduras live in poverty. And, since 2018, thousands of people have left in caravans for the United States, in search of employment.
“Our commitment is to guarantee that in Honduras, that in their homeland, they have the conditions for a dignified life. Free universal education for all children and young people. Achieve universal free health care ”, promises Castro, without further details for now.
2. Fight against corruption:
In 2016, after questioning President Hernández, who accepted that part of the money for his campaign came from public funds, a Mission to Support Against Corruption and Impunity (MACCIH), sponsored by the OAS, entered the country, but left in January. 2020 due to disagreements.
Some defendants argued violation of the principle of innocence. Castro wants to reactivate that mission at the highest level.
The future president confirmed “approaches with the United Nations to achieve the installation of the CICIH (International Commission Against Impunity in Honduras), (for) this to help us fight corruption.”
He also announced that his government will send “an initiative to Congress to repeal the laws that have sustained the dictatorship,” as it refers to the Hernández government.
These norms are called “laws of impunity” by the state Anticorruption Council.
Among them, he mentioned the “law of secrets” that classifies information on state purchases, “with which they have covered up all the corruption.” The reform of the Penal Code that lowered the penalties for money laundering is also questioned.
3. Relationship with the US:
Washington called for “transparent and peaceful” elections and closely followed the process. It has had a military base in Honduras since the 1980s. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has already shown a willingness to work with Castro.
While she said that “the relationship with the United States is a cordial relationship.”
“One of the main issues is migration. The defense of human rights, the security of migrants, especially that of children and their families, is fundamental, ”he said.
4. Fight against drug trafficking:
Drug trafficking has infiltrated even the highest echelons of the country, even splashing the president. The president’s brother, “Tony” Hernández, is serving a life sentence in the United States for drug trafficking. The president denies the charges.
“Our fight will be frontal against drug trafficking. We are going to guarantee the security of our borders, both air and sea, so that both drug trafficking and arms trafficking cannot occur in our country, “said Castro.
5. Repeal the ZEDE:
In 2013, the ruling National Party promoted the creation in the Congress of Special Economic Development Zones (Zede), territories authorized to function autonomously within the State of Honduras.
Their objective is to promote investment, but civil society considers them unconstitutional, “states within the state itself” and that can become a refuge for extraditable persons. Currently three work. The UN has asked Honduras to “review” its compatibility.
“As soon as we assume the presidency, we are going to present an initiative to the National Congress to repeal the ZEDE law,” said Castro.
6. Your husband, the “best advisor”:
After being elected by the Liberal Party (PL, center-right), the government of her husband Manuel Zelaya took a turn to the left, linking with Hugo Chávez (Venezuela) and Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua), and was overthrown in 2009 by a civic-military alliance. Then in exile, he returned to the country in 2011.
During the campaign, Castro assured that his government will be one of “democratic socialism.” He did not refer to his ideological affiliations on this occasion.
As the first woman to govern Honduras, “I have a commitment to ensure that women’s rights are respected,” she said.
And she highlighted the achievements of her husband’s government in the fight against poverty. “In this new government (…) I will have the best adviser in the presidential house,” he commented.
7. “Readjust” the debt:
With a debt of almost 17,000 million dollars -11,000 of foreign debt-, one of “the first actions that we will take will be to readjust that debt,” he said.
“We are not going to impose new taxes,” he said, at a time when analysts predict difficulties in finances due to debt and the fiscal deficit. (I)
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