Tegucigalpa (Honduras), Jan 22 (AP): Honduran’s elected President Xiomara Castro saw the prospects of a successful administration on Friday ahead of his swearing-in: a fight shouting for the newly-elected congressional leadership and a tussle among his own allies. .
The controversy threatened to split a coalition with his own Liberty and Refoundation party, as well as with Vice President Salvador Nasralla’s party – and raised suspicions that the incumbent government was trying to overthrow his administration before it could begin.
Castro promised to lead the new Congress to an ally she would rely on to pass legislation when she takes office on Thursday.
Instead, 20 members of his own party broke ranks and chose one of his own members as the leader – garnering votes from anti-Castro parties to defeat the presidential-election candidate. This enraged Castro, who tweeted, “The betrayal is complete.” Castro’s party, known as Libre, won 50 seats in the 128-seat congress in November’s elections, and in order to pass the law, it would need the votes of allies such as Nasralla’s Honduras Salvation Party.
Nasralla ended his own presidential campaign and backed Castro in October, forming a united front to topple the ruling National Party. As part of the deal, Nasralla got the vice president and his party was to lead the new Congress.
That leader was believed to be Luis Redondo. But on Friday, 20 Libre lawmakers instead extended their support to their own Jorge Calix, and other parties opposed to Castro backed him as well.
This led to shouting and shouting between the loyal and broken members of Libre inside the chamber. Outside, meanwhile, angry Libre supporters chained the Congress doors so that the legislators could not get out. Riot police moved in and eventually regained control.
Political analyst and former presidential candidate Olbán Valaderes said the controversy may have been the result of interference from the outgoing administration of President Juan Orlando Hernández, whose National Party along with its allies controlled the previous Congress.
Valladares said the developments made it doubtful that Castro would be able to count on the full support of his party to solve Honduras’ problems.
Castro’s husband, former President Manuel Zelaya, said via Twitter that Calix’s selection would not be recognized and that the traitors would be expelled. (AP) NSD NSD
(This story has been published as part of an auto-generated Syndicate wire feed. Headline or body have not been edited by ABP Live.)
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