Politics of Honduras

Politics of Honduras takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Honduras is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Congress of Honduras. The party system is dominated by the conservative National Party of Honduras and the liberal Liberal Party of Honduras.The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

The 1987 constitution of Honduras provides for a strong executive, a unicameral National Congress, and a judiciary appointed by the National Congress. Reinforced by the media and several political watchdog organizations, human rights and civil liberties are reasonably well protected. There are no known political prisoners in Honduras and the privately owned media frequently exercises its right to criticize without fear of reprisals. Organized labor now represents less than 15% of the work force and its economic and political influence has declined.

Current situation

ecurity situation

Three major events over the last few years have brought this tiny country to the attention of the world media. A massacre of 68 prisoners in the farm prison just outside of La Ceiba on 5 march 2003, a fire in the prison at San Pedro Sula that killed 107 prisoners on 18 May 2004, and the massacre of 27 innocent men, women and children in San Pedro Sula, on 23 December 2004.

There is a great feeling of insecurity amongst the population about the chronically poor security situation in Honduras. The major problem is rooted in the gangs, who are called "maras" in Spanish (ants in English). These include the Mara Salvatrucha and the Mara 18. The gangs are rooted in the poverty of Honduras, and in the ready availability of crack cocaine. Honduras is not only a transit point for cocaine running between Colombia and the US but also has an internal market, creating all sorts of inner city urban problems. The gangs sell the crack, commit other crimes, and hire themselves out to the seriously organised drug smugglers. Those engaged in international trafficking are better resourced than the state authorities combating them. An argument some would use to justify increasing US military aid to Honduras to help fight the organised drug gangs, while others would say that Honduras would be better off legalizing drugs, thus avoiding military solutions to Honduran security problems.

President Ricardo Maduro, a former Central Bank of Honduras chairman, decided to stand for President on a security ticket after his only son was murdered on 28 April 1999, an event that gained him considerable public support. During his tenure as President of the Central Bank of Honduras,a banking license was given to Banco de Producción, after leaving the Central bank he became Chairman and majority stockholder of the bank and the General Manger of the Central bank, Ana Cristina Mejia de Pereira became the General Manager of Banco de la Producción. He came into power in January 2002 with a wave of measures against gangs and delinquency, the most noticeable of which has been soldiers patrolling the streets with the police. Many gang members have been jailed for illicit association. While violent crime dipped for a few months even the best that Maduro could throw at the criminals has not slowed the very high crime rate.

During 2004 a number of victims that had been cut up into pieces were left in the parks of San Pedro Sula with messages from the gangs denouncing Ricardo Maduro, Head of Congress and presidential contender in 2005 Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo, and Interior Minister Oscar Álvarez. Pepe Lobo in particular is feared because of his belief in the death penalty, something Maduro opposes. The massacre in the San Pedro Sula suburb of Chamelecón left 27 dead and 29 injured. The murderers left behind a message, claiming to come from the Cinchoneros, and railing against Maduro, Lobo, Álvarez and the death penalty. They promised to commit another massacre before the new year. Fortunately one suspected assassin was detained very shortly afterwards in another part of San Pedro Sula, and further arrests have since been made.

Death penalty

The death penalty was abolished in 1956, and the last person was executed in 1940, but several candidates for the 2005 presidential elections were in favour of restoring it. Pepe Lobo had promised that if elected President but unable to get a majority in Congress to pass the death penalty he would hold a referendum on the subject.

Executive branch:

President
Manuel Zelaya
PLH
27 January 2006The president is both the chief of state and head of government and is elected by popular vote for a four-year term.

Legislative branch

The National Congress of Honduras "(Congreso Nacional)" has 128 members "(diputados)," elected for four year term by proportional representation; congressional seats are assigned the parties' candidates on a departmental basis in proportion to the number of votes each party receives.

Political parties and elections

On February 20 2005 the PNH and the PLH held their internal party elections to decide who would represent these two parties in the forthcoming presidential elections in November. Porfirio Pepe Lobo became the PNH candidate. Manuel Zelaya became the Liberal Party candidate. A Presidential and general election was held on November 27, 2005. Manuel Zelaya of the Liberal Party of Honduras (Partido Liberal de Honduras: PLH) won, with Porfirio Pepe Lobo of the National Party of Honduras (Partido Nacional de Honduras: PNH) coming in second. The PNH challenged the election results, and Lobo Sosa did not concede until December 7. Towards the end of December the government finally released the total ballot count, giving Zelaya the official victory. Zelaya was inaugurated as Honduras' new president on January 27, 2006.

Honduras has five registered political parties: PNH, PLH, Social Democrats (Partido Innovación Nacional y Social Demócrata: PINU-SD), Social Christians (Partido Demócrata-Cristiano: DC), and Democrat Unification (Partido Unificación Democrática: UD). The PNH and PLH have ruled the country for decades. In the last years, Honduras has had five Liberal presidents: Roberto Suazo Córdova, José Azcona del Hoyo, Carlos Roberto Reina, Carlos Roberto Flores and Manuel Zelaya, and two Nationalists: Rafael Leonardo Callejas Romero and Ricardo Maduro. The elections have been full of controversies, including questions about whether Azcona was born in Honduras or Spain, and whether Maduro should have been able to stand given he was born in Panama.

Judicial branch

The judiciary includes a Supreme Court of Justice, courts of appeal, and several courts of original jurisdiction – such as labor, tax, and criminal courts. The judges of the Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia, are elected for four-year terms by the National Congress.

Administrative divisions

For administrative purposes, Honduras is divided into 18 departments, with departmental and municipal officials selected for four-year terms.

Political pressure groups

Some of the main political pressure groups are the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of Campesinos or UNC; United Federation of Honduran Workers or FUTH.

Guerrilla groups

The Revolutionary Popular Forces Lorenzo Zelaya was in resistance to the government. It is now extinct.

Another group known as "Chichoneros" was also in resistance. It is also extinct.

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, United Nations, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO