Honduran-U.S. Relations
Abstract
On June 28, 2009, the Honduran military detained President Manuel Zelaya and flew him to exile in Costa Rica, ending 27 years of uninterrupted democratic, constitutional governance. Following the ouster, the Honduran Supreme Court released documents asserting that an arrest warrant had been issued for Zelaya as a result of his noncompliance with previous court orders. Zelaya's forced removal halted the judicial process before a trial could be held, and the Honduran National Congress replaced him with head of Congress Roberto Micheletti. The United States and international community have universally condemned the events in Honduras and called for a restoration of Zelaya and the rule of law. General elections to elect a new president and National Congress are scheduled to be held on November 29, 2009, though questions remain concerning whether Zelaya supporters and the international community will accept the results. The political instability brought about by the removal of President Zelaya has created yet another challenge for Honduras, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries. In addition to significant challenges in the areas of crime, human rights, and improving overall economic and living conditions, the country faces a poverty rate of nearly 70%, high infant mortality, and a significant HIV/AIDS epidemic. While traditional agricultural exports of coffee and bananas are still important for the economy, nontraditional sectors, especially the maquiladora, or export-processing industry, have grown significantly over the past decade. The economy, which grew by 6.3% in 2007 and 4% in 2008, has benefitted from significant debt reduction by international financial institutions that have freed government resources to finance poverty-reduction programs. The global financial crisis and current political crisis, however, are expected to slow economic growth sharply in 2009.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 23, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA511455
Entities
People
- Peter J. Meyer
Organizations
- Library of Congress