Security, Military Police Dominate Honduras Vote
Security, Military Police Dominate Honduras Vote
“Even if the election is fair and transparent it will be difficult to convince supporters of the losing candidate that it wasn't stolen,” comments COA’s Eric Farnsworth on Honduras’ presidential elections.
The election pits Xiomara Castro, whose husband Manuel Zelaya was overthrown in a military-backed coup, against Juan Orlando Hernandez, the candidate of the ruling conservative National Party.
Polls show the two in a statistical tie, ominous in this failing state with 8.5 million people and the world’s highest homicide rate.
“We’ll accept the results if they’re clean. If they’re not, the people have the right to defend their vote,” said Enrique Reina, Castro’s campaign coordinator. Castro’s party says it has a contingency plan if it suspects fraud, though it won’t say what.
And while Hernandez has vowed to respect the results, analysts say a close vote could bring chaos.
Even if the election is fair and transparent it will be difficult to convince supporters of the losing candidate that it wasn’t stolen, said Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas. “You need someone or some people to stand up and be statesmen. And I’m not sure who would do that in the Honduran context, truthfully....”
