HONDURAN ELECTIONS NEWS: UPDATE 16

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 002385 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC, WHA/USOAS, AND DRL/PHD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CEN AND DCHA/DG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HO SUBJECT: HONDURAN ELECTIONS NEWS: UPDATE 16 REF: (A) Tegucigalpa 2372 (B) Tegucigalpa 2346 and previous Active Campaigning Ends at Midnight, November 21 -------------- --- ¶1. As of midnight, November 21, the Electoral Law dictates the formal end of the 90 days permitted campaigning. The cessation of active campaigning comes one week prior to Election Day, which is November 27. According to the law, a fine of 100,000 lempiras (USD 5,300) can be assessed per violation. The law is applicable to the five political parties, all candidates, and political leaders. However, it is still permissible for candidates to explain their government plans to the media. Some observers welcomed the silence, wearied by an extremely rancorous and negative campaign. All Parties Present Government Plans/Financial Statements -------------- -------------- ¶2. With only days to spare, all five political parties presented their government plans and financial statements to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) by last week as required by the Electoral Law. The three small parties, the Democratic Unification Party (UD),the Innovation and National Unity Party (PINU),and the Christian Democratic Party (CD),submitted the information to the TSE well in advance. However, the two main political parties, the Liberal Party and the governing National Party, submitted their financial statements and government plans just days prior to the deadline. TSE Slowly Accrediting Domestic Election Observers SIPDIS -------------- -------------- ¶3. The TSE is slowly accrediting the thousands of domestic election observers from civil society. (The TSE allowed a small number of domestic observers to participate in the primary elections last February 2005, and after weeks of political wrangling approved a regulation for participation in the general elections on November 16.) EmbOffs have repeatedly spoken out on behalf of civil society to underline the importance of domestic election observers to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process. EmbOffs have also emphasized that these observers must be completely impartial. Women's Groups Criticize Political Parties -------------- ¶4. Some politically active women have protested the failure of the political parties to have at least 30 percent of their candidates be women as required by the Electoral Law. A number of women's organizations have commented that the political participation of women on the ballots for the upcoming General Elections is not significant. They allege that none of the five parties met the quota. Feminist groups have threatened to bring suit against Honduras in international courts to highlight the lack of participation of women in the political arena. Despite these complaints, Post believes female congressional candidates will likely have better success than in past elections (see ref B). Tropical Storm Flooding Complicates Caribbean Coast Voting -------------- -------------- ¶5. The TSE has said it cannot guarantee that the electoral process will be conducted without problems in areas of the country severely damaged by Tropical Depression Gamma. Most of the designated voting centers have been turned into shelters for the thousands of people who lost their homes in the region. The TSE is expecting a report from the Permanent Commission of Contingencies (COPECO) regarding the possible use of the voting centers on Election Day. The TSE is hoping COPECO will inform them shortly whether they can use the voting centers or whether they will have to look for alternative sites in the area. The floods also wiped out a bridge on the main road from El Progresso to Tela. Supreme Court's Still to Decide on Lobo Ally's Candidacy -------------- -------------- ¶6. The Supreme Court has still not issued a decision as to the eligibility the congressional candidacy of Juan Orlando Hernandez, Secretary of the Congress. Hernandez, a close political ally of National Party presidential candidate Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo, is up for re-election in the Department of Lempira. Some have objected to Hernandez's presence on the ballot due to his close family ties with a magistrate on the Supreme Court. Election Law prohibits people from running for public office if they have strong connections to members of the Judiciary. Should Hernandez's candidacy be disqualified, which Post judges to be unlikely at this stage, the designated alternate candidate will take his place on the ballot in Lempira. Cost of Overseas Voting Reduced -------------- ¶7. To support overseas voting, the GOH will spend approximately 230 lempiras (USD 12) for each Honduran citizen who registered to vote from abroad in the upcoming General Election. This amount is substantially lower, about one- seventh in fact, of the cost of extending the franchise to overseas voters in 2001. In that year, the Honduran government spent about 1,700 lempiras for each of the nearly 8,000 citizens who registered to vote from abroad. No explanation has been given for how the GOH was able to reduce expenses so dramatically. Ford