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News > Latin America

OAS 'Hasn't Recognized' Juan Hernandez as Honduran President

  • Organization of American States Secretary General Luis Almagro says the OAS hasn't recognized Juan Orlando Hernandez as Honduran president.

    Organization of American States Secretary General Luis Almagro says the OAS hasn't recognized Juan Orlando Hernandez as Honduran president. | Photo: Reuters

Published 13 February 2018
Opinion

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro says the organization hasn't officially recognized Juan Orlando Hernandez as Honduran president.

Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) Luis Almagro says that the OAS hasn't recognized Juan Orlando Hernandez as the Honduran president, nor has it congratulated the returning head of state.

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Nasralla: Organized Crime in Honduras Controlled by Hernandez

In an interview with CNN in Spanish, Almagro was asked directly if the OAS had recognized Hernandez' administration: "This isn't a situation that the OAS has recognized, nor has it congratulated (Hernandez) on the election results... I haven't done this," he replied.

Almagro was pushing for fresh presidential elections in Honduras in December, citing a slew of electoral "irregularities" as listed by his team of OAS poll observers in their final report on the Nov. 26 presidential polls.

Among the major transgressions listed in the report is that the Honduran government institutions meant to ensure elections are free and fair instead acted on behalf of Hernandez and his ruling National Party.

The report, co-written by former Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom, who acted as lead electoral observer, reads: "It's not possible to confirm if the (electoral process) was manipulated or if fraud occurred." The report stops short of calling for fresh elections, however.

Colom, arrested today on embezzlement charges as chairman of Oxfam International, was also representing the OAS in the internationally mediated talks this week between Hernandez and his former main opponent, Salvador Nasralla of the Opposition Alliance.

Nasralla and his team have continually called for fresh elections and also refuse to recognize Hernandez as president.

Former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, currently secretary general of the Opposition Alliance, is calling for a "peaceful insurrection... until a democratic system is implemented in the country."

Zelaya tweeted yesterday that he's requesting "300,000 commandos to form within communities at the national level (to) plan demonstrations (and) continue the struggle" to place Nasralla at the head of the Honduran state.

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