In Honduras, the political crisis shifts to legal terrain
The Supreme Court of Honduras will decide, within a week at the most, on the legitimacy of one or other of the parliaments.
Xiomara Castro, in Tegucigalpa, January 27, 2022.
AFP
The political crisis in Honduras caused by the constitution of two rival parliaments, one of which is recognized by the new president Xiomara Castro, moved to the judicial field on Friday with appeals from the two assemblies to the Supreme Court to settle the dispute. .
Luis Redondo, supported by Xiomara Castro (left), and Jorge Calix, leader of a dissident group from the party of the new head of state, were each elected president of two competing assemblies, triggering a serious political crisis a few days of the investiture of Xiomara Castro.
Luis Redondo belongs to the Savior Party of Honduras (PSH) whose alliance with the Free Party of Xiomara Castro was decisive for the latter’s electoral victory. Jorge Calix, of the Free Party, rejected the pre-election agreement which provided for the election of Luis Redondo as head of the legislative assembly, and was elected to the presidency of “his” parliament by some twenty Free and about fifty right-wing deputies.
“I believe in dialogue”
Luis Redondo legislates from the seat of Parliament with the support of around forty titular deputies and an equal number of substitutes. Jorge Calix, for his part, holds virtual sessions via the internet, but enjoys the support of more than 70 titular deputies, out of the 128 in the assembly.
On Thursday, lawyers filed appeals with the Supreme Court asking senior judges to recognize the legitimacy of one or other of the assemblies. On the eve of his inauguration, Xiomara Castro had met with Jorge Calix and offered him a high position in his government in an attempt to end the controversy. But the dissident gave no response.
“I believe in dialogue to find a political solution to this conflict. However, I respect the right of our adversaries to appeal to the Supreme Court (…). I keep repeating that dialogue is the best way. Let’s talk,” Jorge Calix said on Twitter on Friday. The Supreme Court has a maximum of one week to render its judgment, according to Me José Rodriguez, the dissident’s lawyer.
Four of the Court’s judges were appointed by the previous Parliament, where the National Party (PN, right) of outgoing President Juan Orlando Hernandez had a majority. These are the same magistrates who concluded in 2017 that Juan Orlando Hernandez could run for a second term, when the Constitution does not allow it.
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