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Election Date: November 27, 2005

At stake: President, National Congress

Background

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Honduras—once regarded as one of the poorest and least developed countries in Latin America—is today one of the most politically stable in the region.

In the 20th Century, Honduras endured several military coups and intense intervention from the United States. In 1933, Tiburcio Carías Andino—founder of the National Party (PN)—was appointed president. He amended the constitution and instated a dictatorship that lasted until 1948.

When Carías Andino's mandate ended, a military junta ruled the country. In 1957, a new constitution was enacted. Ramón Villegas Morales of the Liberal Party (PL) was elected president.

In 1963—shortly after the Cuban Revolution—Honduras' wealthiest families saw in Villegas Morales a left-wing threat and actively supported a coup led by Osvaldo López Arellano.

From 1965 to 1975, López Arellano effectively ran the country. The colonel's mandate ended when, after facing accusations of taking bribes from an American multinational company, he suffered a coup himself. Colonel Juan Alberto Melgar Castro took over, but was ousted three years later by Policarpo Paz García—another military strongman.

Political instability in other Central American nations also affected Honduras. In October 1980, Paz García signed a peace treaty with El Salvador, after 11 years of conflict with the neighbouring country.

In 1981, Liberal candidate Roberto Suazo Córdova was elected president. During his tenure, the U.S Army used Honduras as a base to train Nicaraguan guerrillas—known as the "Contras"—in an effort to overthrow the left-wing Nicaraguan government of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN).

In 1986, a new law established a one-term presidency. In 1993, the election of Liberal Carlos Alberto Reina allowed Honduras' government to gradually distance itself from the military's power and influence. Reina tightly controlled defence expenditures, appointed civilians to run the main bureaus, and suppressed the mandatory military service.

In 1997, left-wing parties were allowed to participate in politics for the first time, under the Democratic Unification Party (PUD) banner. Liberal Carlos Roberto Flores won the presidential election.

In 1998, Honduras was ravaged by Hurricane Mitch. An estimated 5,600 people lost their lives, and over 70 per cent of the country's crops were destroyed. The disaster deeply affected the nation's financial standing.

In November 2001, Ricardo Maduro—the National Party's presidential nominee—was elected with 52.2 per cent of all cast ballots, becoming the sixth democratically-chosen head of state since 1982.

In May 2003, Honduras was the first Central American country to commit troops to the U.S.-led coalition effort in Iraq. The deployment ended in May 2004.

Maduro has voiced his support for the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Rising crime rates—usually blamed on street gangs—and corruption allegations about preferential treatment and unpaid levies at the customs administration affected the president's standing. Maduro's term ends on Jan. 27, 2006.

2005 Presidential and National Congress Elections

On Feb. 20, Honduran voters participated in their country's first presidential primaries. National Congress president Porfirio Lobo Sosa defeated Tegucigalpa mayor Miguel Pastor with 69.1 per cent of the vote to become the National Party (PN) nominee. Former minister of the Honduran Social Investment Fund (FHIS) Manuel Zelaya earned the Liberal Party (PL) nod, beating businessman Jaime Rosenthal with 55.3 per cent of all cast ballots.

On Mar. 4, the National Congress ratified the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). On Apr. 13, Canada announced it would cancel Honduras' $7.5 million U.S. debt.

On Apr. 26, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development signed an agreement with Honduras. The deal allows for the provision of debt relief within the framework of the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.

On May 8, Maduro announced that Honduras would withdraw from the Central American Court of Justice (CCJ). The move is expected to save the government $2 million U.S. a year.

On May 13, Lobo Sosa and Zelaya participated in a radio debate. Lobo Sosa said he would "insist on reinstating the death penalty for abominable crimes" and vowed to take the case to the people in a referendum "if a majority is unattainable in the National Congress." Zelaya said he was opposed to capital punishment, adding that the measure "would not dissuade criminals."

On the topic of street gangs, Lobo Sosa expressed his support for "toughening existing regulations" and vowed to enact "a democracy without delinquency." Zelaya pledged to offer more choices to the country's youth, saying, "Young people in Honduras either go to the United States or become gang members."

On May 31, a report from the Centre for Research and Promotion of Human Rights (CIPRODEH) expressed dissatisfaction with the political campaign, calling it "mostly political manipulation without concrete proposals."

In a June CID-Gallup poll, 39 per cent of respondents said they expected Lobo Sosa to win the election, while 34 per cent thought Zelaya would emerge victorious.

An August Ingeniería Gerencial/Televicentro/El Heraldo/HRN Radio survey suggested a tight race, with Lobo Sosa at 37 per cent and Zelaya at 35 per cent. A survey by CID-Gallup had the two main contenders tied at 36 per cent.

On Aug. 29, campaign activities officially began. Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) president Arístides Mejía called the ballot "a national party that we should all enjoy."

Liberal candidates won the 1981, 1985, 1993 and 1997 elections, while the Nationals emerged victorious in 1989 and 2001.

In a late October poll by CID-Gallup, Lobo Sosa was in first place with 39 per cent, with Zelaya in second place with 31 per cent.

Campaign activities were interrupted after Hurricane Beta hit Honduras and Nicaragua on Oct. 30. Close to 11,000 Hondurans were evacuated from the affected areas.

In statements made throughout the campaign, Zelaya has referred to Lobo Sosa as "the antichrist," a "forest predator," and "a fascist." Lobo Sosa has mocked Zelaya for failing to complete the coursework to earn a university degree.

On Nov. 7, Zelaya accused PN adviser Mark Klugman of distributing false information inside shopping malls, saying, "They are saying I'm a fag and a drug addict, who lives in whorehouses. Their campaign is based on character assassination."

On Nov. 16, Tegucigalpa archbishop Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga criticized the negative undertones of the presidential campaign, saying, "The country has progressed in its democratic system, but now we see a level of verbal violence that we had not seen before. There have been attacks and insults in this campaign. It should be civil, not violent."

On Nov. 26, TSE secretary-general Augusto Aguilar ruled out the possibility of electoral fraud, saying, "These suggestions are normal in Honduras and Latin America, where a culture of distrust still persists."

Voting took place on Nov. 27. An exit poll released by Televicentro suggested a victory for Zelaya with 50.61 per cent, with Lobo Sosa in second place with 44.31 per cent. Zelaya declared, "This is a mandate from the people of Honduras who have put their faith in our message, in our proposals to build a more transparent country."

On Nov. 28, Zelaya remained in first place with 50.79 per cent, followed by Lobo Sosa with 45.22 per cent.

On Dec. 7, Lobo Sosa conceded defeat, declaring, "The people gave me their vote and showed faith and confidence in my political platform. I congratulate all Hondurans for celebrating another civic event that guarantees that our countrymen will walk along the path of democracy and progress."

Zelaya began to assemble his cabinet. The Liberal candidate has promised to create 400,000 jobs in four years in Honduras.

Final results gave Zelaya 49.9 per cent of all cast ballots, with Lobo Sosa in second place with 46.2 per cent. The difference between the two contenders was less than 69,000 votes. The Liberals secured 62 seats in the National Congress.

Zelaya took office on Jan. 27. In his inauguration speech, Zelaya promised to govern with "honesty and transparency."

Political Players

President: Manuel Zelaya - PL

The president is elected to a four-year year term by popular vote.

Legislative Branch: The Congreso Nacional (National Congress) has 128 members, elected to four-year terms by proportional representation.

Results of Last Election:

President - Nov. 27, 2005

National Congress - Nov. 27, 2005

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