Washington, 28 October 2021 (TDI): The Organization of American States (OAS) announced the visit of the Mission to Honduras, this week. The Mission will observe the upcoming General Elections, on 28 November.
The OAS mission is led by Luis Guillermo Solis, who is the former President of Costa Rica. They will meet with the electoral authorities, candidates, representatives of civil society, and other relevant actors. There they will share information on the deployment of the Mission.
Moreover, they will learn about the electoral progress in Honduras, and to hear the different opinions, and perspectives on the elections.
Last they will hear about the political-electoral situation of the country. Besides Solis, more than 80 international specialists, and observers will be part of the Mission.
The specialists will arrive in Honduras in Mid-November. Then the specialists will be deployed in all the departments, during the week of the elections. Among its members will include specialists in the organization of elections and technology and women’s political participation.
MEMBERS OF THE MISSION
The Mission will also include experts in electoral justice, voting abroad, and political financing. Since 1963, OAS has observed 11 election processes, and this will be the twelfth mission deployed in Honduras. 298 mayors, and 298 vice-mayors, 2092 council members, 128 congress deputies, and also 20 deputies for the Central American Parliament are the available spots for the elections.
The objective is to guarantee transparent, reliable, and peaceful elections, with the participation of the citizens. Another objective is also to guarantee the will of the people, to strengthen the democratic system of Honduras.
MISSION DEPLOYMENT AND THE CREATION OF STRUCTURES
Honduras and OAS signed an agreement to deploy the Mission in September, in Washington. The Secretary-General of the OAS, Luis Almagro remarked that OAS has provided electoral cooperation to Honduras before. According to Almagro, OAS has cooperated with the National Congress of Honduras in 2018 and 2019.
The Elections National Council and also the Electoral Justice Court were the product of that cooperation.
The elections of November will be the first ones that these new structures will oversee.
