Honduras: Zelaya Says OAS ‘Two-faced; UN is ‘Divisive’

March 11, 2018

The former Honduran president is calling for a meeting on March 13 with United Nations mediators.

Former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya is calling for an “urgent” meeting with the United Nations.

In a Twitter communique, the former president is calling for a meeting on March 13 with United Nations mediators leading dialogues between the opposition and the Honduran government.

Zelaya says that during the previous two meetings the U.N. mediators have been “divisive” and have “ignored the Nov. 26 Electoral Coup; the state of the nation; the assassinations at the hands of the repressive armed forces; and the taking of political prisoners.”

In his statement, the secretary general says that the opposition’s conditions – electoral reforms and an independent investigation into the presidential elections that the Opposition Alliance say were riddled with irregularities – have not been addressed.

The U.N. must “promote dialogue without traps,” accusing U.N. mediators of being aligned with the current president Juan Orlando Hernandez.

In a Twitter announcement from Friday, Zelaya accused Luis Almagro of the Organization of American States (OAS) of being “two-faced” for promising to push for fresh presidential elections in Honduras when, according to Zelaya, “he always had his agenda set to recognize” Hernandez as president, “ignoring, with complete cynicism, the assassinations committed by the regime.”

The crisis erupted after the electoral authorities awarded the Nov. 26 presidential victory to Hernandez, who ran for a controversial reelection after the first vote counts gave an advantage to the candidate of the Opposition Alliance Salvador Nasralla.

The aftermath of the election saw large opposition demonstrations which were confronted by a brutal government crackdown that left more than 35 dead and hundreds of prisoners, according to human rights organizations.

After the electoral result, the Opposition Alliance called for a “popular revolt” and Nasralla said the president was elected through “fraudulent” actions by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and thus he did not recognize the presidency of Hernandez, who was sworn in on Jan. 27 for a second consecutive term.

The U.N. mission is composed of Guatemalan Catalina Soberanis, Salvadoran Carlos Vergara, an expert in conflict resolution, and U.S. consultant Marcie Mersky, of the International Center for Transitional Justice.

Neither Almagro or the U.N. mission have responded to Zelaya’s accusations or requests.

Caption: Opposition presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla greeting supporters.

https://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Honduras-Zelaya-Says-OAS-Two-faced-UN-is-Divisive-20180311-0022.html

Source: teleSUR