麻豆影视

Skip to main content

Honduras president-elect sees 'betrayal' by allies amid scuffle in legislature

Share
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -

Honduran President-elect Xiomara Castro saw her prospects of a successful administration take a hit on Friday even before she has been sworn in: A battle for leadership of the newly elected Congress devolved into shouting and shoving among her own allies.

The dispute threatens to split her own Liberty and Refoundation Party, as well as its alliance with the party of Vice President Salvador Nasralla -- and raised suspicions that the outgoing government is trying to scuttle her administration before it can start.

Castro had promised to give leadership of the new Congress to an allied party she will depend upon to pass legislation after she takes office on Thursday.

Instead, 20 members of her own party broke ranks and chose one of their own members as leader -- getting votes from anti-Castro parties to defeat the president-elect's candidate

It infuriated Castro, who tweeted, "The betrayal is complete."

Castro's party, known as Libre, won 50 seats in the 128-seat Congress in November elections and to pass legislation, it will need votes from allies such as Nasralla's Honduras Salvation Party.

Nasralla ended his own presidential campaign and endorsed Castro in October, creating a united front to remove the ruling National Party from power. As part of the deal, Nasralla got the vice presidency and his party was to lead the new Congress.

That leader was supposed to be Luis Redondo. But on Friday, 20 Libre lawmakers instead threw their support to one of their own, Jorge Calix, and and other parties opposed to Castro backed him as well.

That set off shoving and shouting between loyalist and breakaway members of Libre inside the chamber. Outside, meanwhile, angry Libre supporters chained the doors of Congress so the lawmakers could not exit. Riot police moved in and eventually regained control.

Political analyst and former presidential candidate Olban Valladares said the dispute could be the result of interference from the outgoing administration of President Juan Orlando Hernandez, whose National Party had controlled the previous Congress with its allies.

Valladares said the developments made it doubtful that Castro would be able to count on the full support of her party to resolve Honduras' problems.

Former president Manuel Zelaya, Castro's husband, said via Twitter that the selection of Calix would not be recognized and traitors would be expelled.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Infectious disease physician Dr. Isaac Bogoch says whooping cough is most risky for unvaccinated infants, children and older people.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.