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The European Union invites the President of Honduras
The European Union invites the President of Honduras
Human Rights Organisations worried about the invitation send a letter to the Spanish Presidency of the EU.
150 civil society international networks, involved in cooperation and human rights, have expressed their concern in a letter addressed to the Presidency of the EU regarding the invitation offered by Spanish Government to Porfirio Lobo Sosa; an invitation to participate in the 6th EU-Latin America and Caribbean Heads of State Summit which will take place the following month of May.
The organisations have expressed, in a comprehensive document, that the transition towards Mr. Profirio Lobo Sosa has not solved the profound democratic conflict faced by the Government of Honduras since the Coup of the 28th of June in 2009. They also state that the quick recognition of the Government of Honduras, on behalf of the International Community, is a dreadful precedent for Latin America.
They remind the EU that Mr. Lobo Sosa was elected in an electoral process which was unrecognised by the International Community and marred by the militarisation of the country, limitations of the fundamental freedoms and the perpetuation of the crime of political persecution since the Coup.
They also remind that Mr. Lobo Sosa did not condemn the Coup, and as President of his party, did not prevent it from supporting it. Furthermore, once elected as President of Honduras, he did not contribute towards the reestablishment of democracy and the fulfillment of the Guaymuras-San José Agreement.
They publicly condemn the Amnesty Decree which was approved, favouring the perpetrators of the Coup, as well as the serious violations of human rights that continue to take place under the leadership of Porfirio Lobo Sosa.
They insist that the Spanish Presidency of the European Union should withdraw the invitation offered to Mr. Porfirio Lobo Sosa to take part in the 6th EU-Latin America and Caribbean Heads of State Summit which will take place in Madrid the following month of May.
They expect that the Spanish Presidency will act consistently, defending the principles and democracy which it has supported in many international community spaces, and that it will not disappoint the expectations its Presidency has created, offering, once again, the valuable lessons learned in order to continue advancing in the democratisation processes in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Human Rights situation in Honduras in the post-coup scenario (In spanish) >
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