Analysis | U.S. Pres. Trump attempts to interfere in Honduran elections - video Dailymotion

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As general elections take place this Sunday in Honduras, we talk to international analyst Lisbeth Menendez, co-chair of the board of directors of the “Waves Ahead Puerto Rico” Foundation, for her outlook into the situation surrounding the vote in the country and the regional instability being promoted by the U.S. teleSUR  These and many more stories now!

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00:00And let's continue with the analysis of Sunday's Electoral Day in Honduras.

00:04And for this purpose, we are joined now by international analyst Lizbeth Melendez,

00:09who is also co-chair of the Board of Directors of Waves Ahead of Puerto Rico.

00:15Welcome, Lizbeth.

00:18First, let's jump right in.

00:20How would you describe Honduras' political landscape amid these general elections?

00:24I think that we've seen an effort to move forward towards a more progressive, less militarized,

00:35less tied to some of the cartels and other of the issues that we, regardless of what the opinion of many are,

00:45we've seen firsthand in our visits and analysis of the politics of the country.

00:49I do, however, worry that with the latest intrusion of President Trump into foreign politics in America Latina,

01:02be it through the pardon of the former president of Honduras or his current attacks in Venezuela, Colombia,

01:10and other countries contradict a lot of the efforts that the area is trying to put forth in order to rise our economic health

01:22and other issues that continue to be sponsored by countries like the United States and the region.

01:29So, at the end of the day, I think it's, you know, it shows signs of progress.

01:36The process seems to be going well.

01:39However, we know that intrusion of this kind are usually signs of foreign intrusion in local government and local elections.

01:48I want to retake this idea that you just mentioned.

01:51The U.S. military is deployed and targeting small boats in the Caribbean

01:55and also trying to put pressure on countries such as Venezuela.

02:00And at the same time, Washington is seeking pardon for a convicted Honduran far-right ex-president

02:06and proven narco-trafficker, as you just mentioned.

02:08How can we interpret this maneuver, and what could be the real intentions behind this action

02:14against Honduras and against the region as well?

02:16Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, we can only surmise that the pardon of the former president

02:24is one that signals some type of deal for a return to power under the strings

02:33and, you know, to become a puppet, a full puppet of the U.S. government

02:37in a place where Trump is trying to elevate his, you know, his perceived regional power.

02:48For a president that ran in the United States around no wars, a look inwards,

02:55and no affection of, you know, of interference with foreign affairs,

03:00Trump is doing a miserable job of hiding his true agenda,

03:05which is to try to become, you know, a regional power-breaker

03:10and to dominate the local politics.

03:14His efforts against Maduro and against the landscape both in Venezuela and Nicaragua and Colombia

03:21signify a desire of not just throwing human rights out the, you know, out the door,

03:31as proven by some of his orders and actions through Secretary of Defense Hegeth.

03:37And again, in a last-minute endorsement of the status quo in Honduras

03:44and the pardon of the former president who was rightfully convicted of narco-trafficking

03:50here in the United States as well as along the region, you know, from Panama all the way to Mexico.

03:58And, Lisbeth, one last question.

04:01In this context that you just described of so much harassment

04:05and so much interference in this process in Honduras,

04:09what is the role that the people, the grassroots movements, the indigenous communities,

04:14Garifunas and others are playing today in defending this democratic process

04:20and also the civil rights in Honduras?

04:23I think that, you know, not just, in the words of the former officials of Honduras,

04:29as you mentioned in the former, you know, in the segment just a moment ago,

04:33that we have a duty as people to really exercise a well-earned right to vote,

04:38not to let people silence us, to keep an eye on an irregularities,

04:44to report those, not just to people in the country but outside of the country,

04:48for, you know, to call the attention of international observers,

04:52and to stand up for justice, to stand up for our rights, our human rights,

04:57to not just have, you know, self-determination in who rules and who sets the laws

05:05and the conditions under which we live, but also to send a clear message

05:10to those who try to interfere and to perpetuate colonialism,

05:16you know, white supremacy and political interference in the region

05:20by force or by intellect, that we will not stand for that.

05:26And I think that the people of Honduras have done that in the past.

05:28I think that the people of Venezuela will continue to do that.

05:30I think the people of Colombia are coming together to, you know, to that end,

05:36that in other places around the region, people are waking up to the fact

05:41that the United States has all of a sudden taken their colonial eye

05:47out of other countries.

05:50And when speaking of third-world immigration into the United States,

05:53this is truly referring to our world, you know, to our countries, to our world,

05:58our message must be clear.

06:00We vote massively, we stand up firm, and we resist any efforts

06:05in taking away self-determination, human rights, and our ability to live full lives

06:10as we choose to do so today, tomorrow, and forever.

Analysis | U.S. Pres. Trump attempts to interfere in Honduran elections

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