CHANGING THE POLITICAL PARADIGM-MUNICIPAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 001085

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR WHA/CEN AND EB
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CEN
LA PAZ - PLEASE PASS USAID FOR TODD SLOAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EAID PREL SOCI PINR HO
SUBJECT: CHANGING THE POLITICAL PARADIGM-MUNICIPAL
ASSOCIATION DEFEATS EFFORT TO IMPOSE A PARTISAN DIRECTOR

REF: Tegucigalpa 558


1. SUMMARY: The Honduran Municipal Association (AMHON)
preserved its political independence and nonpartisan
character by selecting a municipal development professional
as Executive Director despite a six month effort by the
Minister of Government and dark-side members of Congress to
impose a politically beholden Nationalist party member as
Executive Director. This come-from-behind victory for the
maturing municipal government forces, who were aided by the
USG and other international donors, represents an important
political counterbalance to the Maduro Administration's now-
revealed efforts to reap maximum partisan advantage out of
its political decentralization program. It is also a huge
step for the good government and anti-corruption forces
because the AMHON Board of Directors broke from established
political tradition, where decisions are made behind closed
doors based on partisan preferences, by using a professional
and transparent selection process. This highly atypical
selection process for a Honduran institution could serve as
a model for other entities, furthering the development of
democracy and decentralization in Honduras. END SUMMARY


2. On April 29 the Honduran Municipal Association (AMHON)
Board of Directors (composed of 12 Nationalist Party Mayors,
11 Liberal Party Mayors, and one Christian Democrat Mayor,)
held a regularly scheduled meeting in Tela where they
selected a new Executive Director, Miguel Angel Munguia, to
replace the embattled Guadalupe Lopez (reftel). AMHON
extended an invitation to international donors to attend the
meeting as observers in order to continue to provide
independent guarantees of transparency in the finalization
of the selection process. A USAID Municipal Development
Officer attended, and was accompanied by Alfredo Stein
(Swedish aid agency) and Jose Antonio Samperi (Spanish aid
agency).


3. The reasoned debate that transpired during the meeting
was in stark contrast to previous gatherings during the last
four months where emotional partisan squabbles dominated the
discussion. Particularly disruptive were the previous
provocations by Nationalist Mayors in AHMON to remove the
Executive Director (reftel). It appears that this time, the
Board's decisions were based on genuine consensus and truly
reflected the will of the organization as a whole. (Note:
Donors' continued interest and follow-up on this issue, not
to mention their presence during the deliberations, were an
influence in this outcome. Ambassador Palmer met on a
number of occasions separately with the Minister of
Government and select groups of mayors to help push this
process to its successful resolution. End Note.)


4. Four finalists for the position of Executive Director
were presented to the Board of Directors for their decision.
Although AHMON's by-laws state that a simple majority can
select an Executive Director, the board decided to reach a
consensus on the new candidate. (Comment: Throughout the
meeting, there were constant mentions of the need for the
board to get beyond the partisan positions that had been
dividing them in the past; almost a plea to get back to real
business. End Comment.)


5. Members of the selection committee reported to the Board
of Directors on the interviews that were conducted and all
reaffirmed the transparent and professional nature of the
selection process, indicating that they learned a great deal
by going through this process. Of the four finalists,
Miguel Angel Munguia was selected by consensus. Mr. Munguia
currently works as a regional coordinator for the Honduran
Foundation for Municipal Development (FUNDEMUN). Munguia
has a long history of working with municipalities in
technical positions and does not have an overt political
affiliation. He has a reputation as a solid professional
and is well known to Post.


6. COMMENT: In a significant setback for Jorge Ramon
Hernandez Alcerro, the Minister of Government, many of the
Nationalist Party mayors who had towed the party line in
previous meetings have now distanced themselves from him and
the other Nationalist Party members of Congress who sought
to influence the selection of the new Executive Director.
In conversations both before and after the meeting, it
appears a number of Nationalist mayors decided to reject the
external partisan manipulation that was being applied to
them. Further, it appears that this hiring decision could
prove to be an important moment for AMHON's growing
political independence in that Nationalist mayors, annoyed
by continued pressure from their party, are now willing to
stake out positions that are critical, yet constructive, on
real issues that are effecting their municipalities.

7. COMMENT CONTINUED: The transparent selection of a new
AHMON Executive Director has been a highly atypical process
for a Honduran institution. Normally, high-level
managerial/ministerial positions are essentially chosen
behind closed doors based on partisan preferences by the
party holding the majority. AMHON's example may well serve
as a model for other Honduran entities to emulate,
especially in lieu of the relevance AMHON has for the
further development of democracy and decentralization in
Honduras. U.S. mission support from the Ambassador to USAID
Municipal Development officer provided the critical measure
of support needed to overcome the intense political pressure
being exerted by Maduro Administration officials and
National Congress Members, including the Majority Leader of
the Congress and Party Whip. END COMMENT

PALMER