Honduran leaders based in Los Angeles expressed their hope for a change in their country of origin, as the opposition candidate, Xiomara Castro, is heading to be the first president of Honduras. At the close of the election, he was victorious with a margin of difference of 20 points over rival Nasry Asfura of the ruling National Party .
Does 12 years, her husband Manuel Zelaya was removed from power through a military coup. Xiomara Castro became a candidate with the promise of empowering the people and putting to the fore the demands of social movements and the memory of the martyrs of the resistance.
Here are some reactions from the Honduran community in Southern California.
The people could not take it anymore
“Thank God that Xiomara won because the people wanted a change,” exclaimed Cecilia Rodríguez from the Honduran Alliance of Los Angeles.
He added that the Honduran people no longer put up with what they are experiencing.
“There are no sources of work or medicine in the hospitals; people die in hospitals. ”
So he said they hope the new president will do something good for the people of Honduras.
He made it clear that he is going to move heaven and earth so that they send a good representation to the Consulate of Honduras in Los Angeles because they have not had it until now. “
“ Consul María Fernanda Rivera closed the doors to organizations and we were unable to work with her. That is not right. We are all Hondurans and we must work together for the well-being of our community. ”
Ago 35 years that Rodríguez emigrated to the United States and has 28 years as a leader.
“It’s not that I want to get involved in Honduran politics, but since I am a leader of a Honduran organization and all the complaints from Hondurans fall on me, they tell me that they were fed up of corruption by the Honduran government; and I am obliged to fight for my fellow citizens. ”
She admitted to being happy for Castro’s victory. “ I ask God that I can rule a destroyed country. The current president Juan Orlando Hernández only looked out for himself, his family and the drug traffickers. His brother Antonio “Tony” Hernández, was sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking in the United States ”.
There is so much corruption in Honduras, he said, that the first thing they ask you when you arrive at the airport is that you give them $ 50 so as not to check the suitcase.
And he regretted that Hondurans have not been able to vote from abroad.
“Here in Los Angeles nobody voted. They did not take us into account even though we already spent half a million dollars in remittances. ”
Desires for change
Leoncio Velázquez, leader of the United Honduran organization in Los Angeles, expressed his desire for a change in Honduras because he said that Hondurans are already tired of the same government.
“ Hopefully the caravans will stop and there will be more jobs, so that people do not risk their lives on the migratory routes. People leave Honduras for lack of opportunities; and if the new government makes the change, the caravans will stop ”.
Velázquez said that many single mothers have seen many single mothers emigrate with their children, but most are young people between 16 and 28 years. “They say they have no other way out than to emigrate.”
He emigrated to the United States in 1981 When I had 20 years, in search of a better life.
Punishment vote
Martín Pineda was born in the United States, but his parents are immigrants from Honduras, and he has a strong connection to his parents’ country. Her partner also lives in Honduras.
“Xiomara Castro has an advantage of 20%, and It is very difficult for him to go up. ”
He said that during the last 12 years, after the military coup, the people have suffered a lot.
Therefore, he considered that in the elections this Sunday in Honduras, there was a punishment vote against the National Party that in recent years has disappointed many people.
“When the coup d’état happened, the 28 June 2009, I had 18 years. Over time I learned about the situation that prevailed in Honduras. ”
So Pineda, a young millennial activist, has no doubt that broad youth participation made a difference in the choice.
“ I have high hopes that the new president will be something different and can help. In the last 8 years, the largest migration to the United States has been from Venezuela, Haiti, and Honduras. A lot has to do with the lack of good jobs and violence ”.
He anticipated that with Xiomara Castro there will be many changes that they are going to benefit the people in general, not just those who work in the government.
Bittersweet flavor
Eric Midence, leader of the Honduran Association of Oxnard, California, said that for him, the triumph of Xiomara Castro has a bittersweet flavor.
“Sweet because a government is leaving that has Honduras on the streets, but sour because I am worried that Xiomara will lead the country towards communism. We already had the experience with her husband Celaya, who was a friend of Hugo Chávez, and was leading Honduras to the left. And that’s why the coup came. ”
But Midence indicated that since Castro’s triumph is the product of an alliance of parties, he hopes that a center government will be achieved. “ The presence of Salvador Nasralla as vice president can prevent the country from going to communism, which is a cancer that is killing us ”.
He affirmed that Honduras needs to get away from the radical parties because they do not want another Venezuela in Honduras.
“I remain cautious because Maduro (the president of Venezuela) sent her congratulations, and she thanked him.”