Latin America rejects elections in Honduras under dictatorial regime

Tegucigalpa, Nov 30. ABN.- Several Latin American countries expressed this Monday their rejection to the presidential elections that took place on Sunday in Honduras under the dictatorial regime of Roberto Micheletti. Latin American governments warned about the bad precedent this process is setting.

“This electoral farce is a new chapter of the coup,” denounced the President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez, and reiterated that he will not recognize any Government emerging from that election.

The Brazilian Head of State Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stated that if the election process is legitimated, it could set a serious precedent in the region, most of all in Central America, where many countries are still politically vulnerable, as informed Prensa Latina.

“Whether some countries can change their minds, Brazil will keep its position because we cannot accept a military coup dressed up as civilian, like the one in Honduras,” Lula added, in reference to the decision of four countries in the region accepting the results.

Brazil sheltered in its diplomatic building in Honduras the constitutional President of that country Manuel Zelaya, when he returned to Tegucigalpa after he was ousted by hooked military forces on June 28.

A dictatorship was imposed in Honduras, through a military coup with U.S. instigation and support, assured the Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez at the Nineteenth Ibero-American Summit, taking place in Portugal.

“To recognize the spurious Government emerging from these illegitimate elections would betray the principles of peace, democracy and justice, and this Summit should act adequately,” the Cuban foreign minister added.

The Sunday elections in Honduras were characterized by a high abstention level, which was estimated by the National Front against the Coup between 65 and 70%.

“Obviously, these elections are completely biased and should not be recognized by the international community,” said the foreign Minister of Ecuador Fander Falconi.

The elections will not put an end to the crisis created by the military coup, said Alfredo Rada, Bolivian Minister, and he added that under any circumstances Bolivia will recognize a Government emerged from a process marked by the force of the arms.

Nicaragua, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina also expressed their rejection to the general elections in Honduras, due to the lack of guarantees for free and transparent elections under a dictatorial regime.