the leftist Xiomara Castro She became the first president of Honduras this Thursday, with a government that will face challenges such as a highly divided Congress, the increase in debt and relations with China.
Flanked by her husband, former president Manuel Zelaya, and their children, Castro was sworn in at a packed outdoor soccer stadium, while his supporters danced and shouted, at an inauguration attended by the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris. The now Honduran president smiled broadly as the blue and white band was placed on her chest.
“The economic catastrophe I am receiving is unparalleled in the history of the country,” a somber Castro said in his inaugural address, denouncing that the debt had increased sevenfold under his two conservative predecessors. He explained that it is “virtually impossible” to make current debt payments without a restructuring.
“My government will not continue the maelstrom of looting that has condemned generations of young people to pay the debt they contracted behind their backs,” he added to thunderous applause.
Minutes earlier, the crowd roared in approval after Harris, whom the president Joe Biden has tasked him with leading US policy in the impoverished northern triangle of Central America, was introduced.
“Our relationship with Honduras is important,” the vice president wrote on Twitter, adding that she will meet with Castro “to discuss deepening our cooperation on a wide range of issues.”
Harris’ attendance is notable, as lower-ranking officials often lead such delegations from Washington.
US officials want to work with Castro to curb undocumented immigration from Central America and bolster international support for Taiwan. Honduras is one of the few countries in the world that maintains diplomatic relations with Taipei.
Castro takes office wrapped in a dispute with dissidents from his own party. Rival candidates have declared themselves heads of Congress, undermining their ability to pass laws.
Taiwanese Vice President William Lai also attended the inauguration in a bid to bolster ties with Honduras under Castro, which during his election campaign threatened to switch allegiance to Beijing from Taipei if elected president.
Luis León, director of the Dutch Institute for Multiparty Democracy, said that Harris’s presence is a boost for Castro in the fight for control of Congress and to address the weak economy of Honduras.
The United States, under its “one China” policy, recognizes Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of its territory, although it does not endorse this position. Washington has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
legislative limbo
Biden has tasked Harris with addressing the “root causes” of migration from Central America, but her trip comes at a time when the president’s popularity at home has waned and his immigration strategy has stalled.
During a bilateral meeting with Castro, the US official plans to discuss economic opportunities, fighting corruption and managing migration, US officials said.
“We very much want and intend to do what we can to support this new president,” one official said.
Castro, who describes herself as a democratic socialist, has promised to address corruption, poverty and violence in Honduras, chronic problems that have helped fuel undocumented immigration to the United States.
But his legislative program has been jeopardized by renegade politicians from his Free Party, who over the weekend allied themselves with the conservative opposition National Party to vote for one of their members to lead Congress.
This has created a rival legislature and has broken the pact that Libre had made with its electoral ally, the Salvador Party of Honduras, to appoint one of the latter’s members to lead Congress.
Castro and the rest of his party have recognized a lawmaker from Salvador as the legitimate leader of Congress.
Castro’s inauguration puts an end to the eight years of government of John Orlando Hernandez, of the National Party, which has been accused in US courts of corruption and links to drug traffickers.
Democratic Congresswoman Norma Torres called Thursday for Hernandez to be prosecuted immediately on drug charges after Castro takes office. He added that the authorities of his country should also request his extradition.
But the outgoing president can be protected from extradition for up to four years as an automatic member of parliament as soon as his presidential term ends.
Hernández was a longtime ally of Washington, both in immigration and counternarcotics operations, but US prosecutors have revealed that the 53-year-old politician was under investigation as part of an investigation into drug trafficking in Honduras.
Hernandez, whose brother was convicted last year by a US judge, has repeatedly denied the allegations.