Jorge Cálix, one of the two deputies elected in parallel as president of the Congress in Honduras, proposed this Monday a new election of his position, to end the crisis that overshadows the takeover of the leftist Xiomara Castro.
“Let’s talk. If necessary, let’s repeat the vote. I submit to the scrutiny of the deputies whenever they want. If there are two forms, let’s put them to a vote,” Cálix said in a recorded message. “If that’s what it takes to restore peace, let’s do it.”
The crisis began last Friday, when a group of legislators from Castro’s party, Libertad y Refundación (Free), rejected the president-elect’s proposal to appoint Luis Redondo, a member of the allied group Salvador de Honduras ( PSH), whose support was key to winning the presidential elections.
On the contrary, a score of dissidents supported Cálix. His candidacy also had the support of the opposition groups to Castro. That session was held in the midst of blows.
Last Sunday, in parallel meetings, both Cálix and Redondo were elected as presidents of Congress, amid mutual accusations of legal breaches. Free expelled the dissidents.
Redondo achieved his election at the Parliament building, but with the vote of substitute deputies, while Cálix obtained the support of 79 of 128 deputies, in a meeting convened in a country club.
Although this Monday, at least two Libre dissidents who initially supported Cálix retracted and announced their support for Redondo, when the first legislature in the National Assembly is installed this Tuesday.
Castro, the first woman to govern Honduras, will take office on January 27, and her swearing-in should be in charge, in principle, of the head of the Legislature.
Xiomara won the elections thanks to an alliance with the PSH, in exchange for appointing its presidential candidate, Salvador Nasralla, as vice president.
The president-elect accuses the dissidents of allying with the National Party (PN, of outgoing president Juan Orlando Hernández) to prevent him from carrying out the transformations he promised during the campaign.
Despite the discrepancies, Cálix reiterated his support for Castro. “I have always supported her and will continue to do so,” he said, adding that he will further her political agenda.
But he considered that the presidency of Parliament should fall to Libre, as it is the party with the most elected deputies (50 of 128).
mav / nl / lm
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