[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 181 (Thursday, October 30, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7847-S7848]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                HONDURAS

  Mr. WELCH. Mr. President, on September 3, 2025, I spoke about the 
upcoming November 30 general elections in Honduras for President, 
Members of Congress, and Members of the Central American Parliament. 
Significant fraud has been a problem in many of Honduras' past 
elections, most notably prior to, and during, the 2013 and 2017 
elections of former President Juan Orlando Hernando who today sits in a 
U.S. prison. So it is important that this election, like the election 
of Hernandez' successor in 2021, is widely accepted as free, fair, and 
transparent and that the results are honored in and outside of 
Honduras.
  At that time, I expressed concern about a report that on July 16, 
Counselor Ana Paola Hall had resigned from the National Electoral 
Council due to political pressure and threats against her and her 
family. I also expressed concern that the government of President 
Castro had reportedly failed to

[[Page S7848]]

implement the system for transmitting election results, which is 
designed to ensure transparent and timely reporting.
  Since then, I have been informed that Ms. Paola did not resign and 
that Honduras's electoral authority--the National Electoral Council or 
CNE--is now implementing an updated system for transmitting election 
results. This is positive news, and it should reinforce public 
confidence in the CNE's commitment to the integrity of the elections. 
It is my understanding that this new electoral transmission system is 
considered to be more effective and secure than the systems in place 
during previous elections, and it should help counter efforts--already 
reportedly underway--to undermine the fairness of the electoral process 
through legal and judicial maneuvers or to manufacture an excuse by 
some to challenge the results of the election if their candidate loses.
  On September 3, I also spoke about President Castro's failure to 
achieve her pledge to establish an international commission to combat 
corruption and impunity, and the lack of progress in bringing to 
justice those responsible for the murder of environmentalist Juan Lopez 
and others who have lost their lives defending the land and water that 
indigenous communities depend on. There is no doubt that part of the 
responsibility for the failure to establish the commission falls on the 
Honduran Congress, which is dominated by the National Party of former 
President Hernandez, whose government functioned as a criminal 
enterprise. But President Castro insisted this was a priority, 
including during her campaign, and it is disappointing that she and her 
government did not do more to build public support to overcome 
opposition in the Congress. Honduras' justice system has so far been 
largely incapable of bringing to justice those responsible for 
significant crimes of corruption and for ordering the killings of 
environmental defenders, other social activists, and journalists--
including indigenous environmental leader Berta Caceres and members of 
cooperatives in the Aguan Valley, where land rights defenders continue 
to be targeted with violence. It is critically important that Honduras' 
next President reaffirms the government's commitment to such a 
commission and strives to make it a reality.
  It is in the interest of the United States that on November 30th the 
people of Honduras can freely cast their votes in a fair election for 
the candidates of their choice. It is not the role of the United States 
to pick winners and losers. I hope the elections usher in a new 
government of leaders who are committed to strengthening the 
institutions of democracy, upholding the rule of law, and improving the 
lives and protecting the rights of the Honduran people.

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