Being Better Neighbors towards Latin America

As I advocate for a U.S. policy towards the region based on justice and human rights, I’ve had easier years during the Bush Administration. For an administration that promised hope and change, both are in short supply.

Elections took place Sunday, November 29th in Honduras with National Party leader Porfirio Lobo declared the winner.

But elections carried out under a state of emergency, with visible military and police presence, by a government installed by coup, with a significant movement opposed to the coup calling for abstention, and with the deposed President still holed up in the center of the capital city in the Brazilian Embassy, are no cause for celebration. As we wrote to the State Department on November 24th, “a cloud of intimidation and restrictions on assembly and free speech affect the climate in which these elections take place… basic conditions do not exist for free, fair and transparent elections in Honduras.”

Elections took place yesterday, November 29th, in Honduras with National Party leader Porfirio Lobo declared the winner. But elections carried out

• under a state of emergency
• with visible military and police presence
• by a government installed by a military coup
• with a significant civil society movement opposed to the coup calling for abstention
• and with the deposed President still deposed and holed up in the center of the capital city in the Brazilian Embassy
  

are no cause for celebration.

If you haven't sent a message to our U.S. government about Honduras, click here now!

I have just returned from Honduras, and I can tell you, there is no possible way that there are the basic conditions for free and fair elections on November 29th.

Click here to tell Secretary of State Clinton to call these elections what they really are—far from free and fair!