Democracy in Peril: the Fight for Free Elections in Honduras

House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade

2025-11-20

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Source: Congress.gov

Summary

This hearing convened to examine the threats to free and fair elections in Honduras under the Xiomara Castro government and to explore how the United States can ensure the will of the Honduran people is honored in the upcoming November 30th elections.[ 00:23:42-00:23:42 ]

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 Concerns were raised by all participants regarding the integrity of these critical elections and the broader implications for regional stability.[ 00:24:11-00:24:23 ]

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Themes

Threats to Honduran Electoral Integrity

Chairwoman Maria Elvira Salazar initiated the discussion by alleging that President Xiomara Castro, described as a socialist admirer of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, is pushing Honduras into an "economic abyss" and towards communism.[ 00:24:33-00:25:02 ]

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 Specific accusations included welcoming Communist China, breaking ties with Taiwan, honoring Nicolás Maduro, and allowing Cuban spies into the country.[ 00:25:50-00:26:49 ]

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 Concerns were also voiced about candidate Rixi Moncada, who is portrayed as an heir to the "communist throne," aiming to transform Honduras into a state resembling Cuba.[ 00:27:14-00:27:27 ]

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 The Chairwoman highlighted the Honduran armed forces' demands for direct access to private voter information, viewing this as a move to undermine democratic institutions.

Ambassador Carlos Trujillo reinforced these concerns, stating that the Castro government has institutionalized an extreme political ideology and shown affinity for totalitarian regimes. He cited the organization of "Golik Devils" to intimidate electoral authorities, resignations of high-level officials, and alleged threats against Electoral Council members to force their resignations. Trujillo also pointed out that the Attorney General, who is the nephew of candidate Rixi Moncada, is accused of making decisions favorable to his aunt, including legal actions against electoral authorities. He emphasized that the military's expanded role beyond ballot custody, and the government's operation under a state of emergency since 2022, contribute to a fragile democratic state. The purging of top military brass and their replacement with ideological loyalists, mirroring tactics used in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, further exacerbates these fears.

Ranking Member Joaquin Castro added that all three major candidates distrust the electoral process, raising questions about their willingness to accept the election results. He noted that the National Electoral Council is deadlocked and under-resourced, and there has been violence against candidates, journalists, and civil society leaders. Ms. Deborah Ullmer from the National Democratic Institute stressed that a credible election is vital to prevent deeper instability and avoid a leadership lacking a genuine mandate. She confirmed concerns about past electoral crises and consistent political interference in electoral institutions.

U.S. Role and Influence

Chairwoman Salazar asserted the United States government's responsibility to ensure freedom and democracy in Honduras.[ 00:24:11-00:24:23 ]

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 She highlighted the committee's clear message, supported by the State Department and the Trump Administration, advocating for free, fair, and transparent elections. The Ranking Member, however, criticized the Trump administration for its lack of engagement, including not holding prior Western Hemisphere hearings and refusing to provide a witness for this meeting.[ 00:28:55-00:30:11 ]

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 He noted the administration had terminated State Department and USAID programs that supported rule of law and electoral institutions in Honduras, and cut funding for civil society organizations.

Mr. Enrique Roig of Human Rights First indicated that the Trump administration has largely ignored electoral issues in Honduras, prioritizing deportations instead.[ 00:46:29-00:46:32 ]

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 He argued that the "decimation" of US foreign assistance for election integrity, civil society, and anti-corruption efforts has weakened Honduran civil society's ability to monitor elections effectively. Ambassador Trujillo proposed that the US possesses a "plethora of tools," including targeted sanctions, to pressure individuals who undermine democratic norms. Ms. Ullmer recommended continued bipartisan Congressional backing for fair elections, engagement with the OAS for dialogue, and strong support for Honduran observers. Mr. Roig urged the State Department to be more outspoken about the situation, describing their current silence as "deafening." The Chairwoman concluded the hearing by emphasizing a unified bipartisan message for free, fair, and transparent elections in Honduras.

Regional Stability and Geopolitical Concerns

The speakers underscored that Honduras's stability is crucial for US security and economic interests, particularly concerning drug trafficking and the US military base located there. Ambassador Trujillo highlighted Honduras's recognition of Nicolás Maduro's fraudulent election, viewing it as an abandonment of democratic norms and an indication of future actions. He also noted that Honduras had shifted diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China, a decision influenced by both Honduran officials and Chinese opportunities, leading to expanded Chinese influence in the region through various forms of support.

Congressman Randy Fine expressed concerns about narco-trafficking, geopolitical competition with China, and illegal immigration as key reasons for US interest in Honduran stability. Congresswomen Sydney Kai Kamlager-Dove and Greg Stanton criticized the Trump administration's broader policies in Latin America, including military actions, tariffs, and lack of congressional oversight, which they argued have created chaos and undermined US interests in the hemisphere. Mr. Roig suggested that the Trump administration's transactional approach, focusing heavily on deportations, diminishes US leverage on democratic issues and questioned the effectiveness of military interventions against drug trafficking.

Tone of the Meeting

The overall tone of the meeting was serious and deeply concerned, with a primary focus on the critical integrity of the upcoming Honduran elections.[ 00:23:42 ]

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 While there was a bipartisan consensus on the importance of free and fair elections in Honduras, significant political divisions emerged concerning the Trump administration's broader foreign policy in Latin America. Democratic members voiced sharp criticism regarding the administration's perceived lack of engagement with Congress and its alleged undermining of democratic institutions across the region.[ 00:28:55-00:30:11 ]

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 The Chairwoman delivered an assertive opening statement, directly accusing the Honduran president of communist leanings and attempting to influence the election.[ 00:24:33-00:28:05 ]

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 The Ranking Member expressed disappointment over the administration's refusal to provide a witness and challenged a witness's potential conflicts of interest.[ 00:29:46-00:30:11 ]

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 Despite these political disagreements, all members ultimately emphasized the imperative of upholding democratic processes in Honduras.

Participants

Transcript

Good afternoon to all of you.  We're going to be waiting for the ranking member to arrive and then we'll start this hearing.   All right, so the subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere will come to order.  The purpose of this hearing is to examine the threats to free and fair elections in Honduras under the Xiomara Castro government and to highlight how the United States can ensure that the will of the Honduran people is honored and respected on November 30th.  I now recognize myself for an opening statement.   a statement that I'm going to pronounce in English and in Spanish.  I know that this hearing is being broadcast to Honduras, so I want to give the benefit of the Hondurans to understand what I'm going to say in English, also in Spanish.  On November 30th, Honduras will not just pick a new president, it will choose its political destiny for the next century.   It is the responsibility of the United States government and this committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States Congress, to ensure that in Honduras freedom and democracy will prevail.  Four years ago, the people of Honduras elected a socialist president called Xiomara Castro.   Madame Castro has been a loyal follower, in her own words, of Fidel Castro in Cuba and Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.
Do I have to explain to this audience what those two murderers did to their countries?  Maybe not, because everybody knows.  Unfortunately, and because of that poisonous ideology that the current president has embraced, Madame Castro has pushed her country into an economic abyss.  And why do I say that?   You can keep the door closed, please.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Why do I say that?  First,   President Castro welcomed Communist China and even suggested that she may give Palmeirola Air Base to the Chinese.  The Palmeirola Base is the key United States military installation in Latin America.   Second, she broke relations with democratic Taiwan just to please China.  Third, she gave another thug called Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela the highest medal of honor that the country can give to a civilian, the Order of Francisco Morazán.  I am sure that Morazán has to be rolling in his grave.  And fourth, flooded the country with Cuban spies dressed as doctors, teachers, and psychologists.   Ten days from today, the fate of Honduras is in the hands of three candidates.  Papito a la Orden, whose real name is Nasri Asfura, Salvador Nasralla, and Rixi Moncada.  Mrs. Moncada is the heir to the communist throne picked by the current president.  Mrs. Moncada says that Cuba is a democracy and that she wants Honduras to look just like Cuba.   This is the way Cuba looks today.  I'm sure that Hondurians would not want that in their streets.  At this hour, the voters of Honduras are at a crossroads and they should think long and hard who are they going to vote for.
As the chairwoman of the Western Hemisphere subcommittee within the House Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States Congress, I am not telling you who to vote for.  All I am saying is do not elect a communist.   Communism is beautiful in theory and miserable in practice.  Look at Venezuela.  After 25 years, or 25 years ago, the Venezuelans were oblivious to the same warning I am saying today, and not even having the largest reserves of oil in the world save them from the economic catastrophe they're living today.   Socialism's number one goal is to corrode the democratic institutions, especially the armed forces.  The Honduran armed forces, the most powerful institution in the country, are demanding direct access to private voter information.  The armed forces are demanding to know who voted for who.  This is not the military, which has made Hondurans proud for over 100 years.   At the same time, or the same military, I should say, that pulled Mel Zelaya, the husband of the current president, out of his bed in his PJs, sent him to Costa Rica in the middle of the night for wanting to do the same thing that his wife is trying to do right now, impose communism in Honduras.  16 years ago, the military saved their country from communism.  And today, they need to do the same thing.   So this committee is sending a very clear message, supported by the State Department and the Trump Administration, that Honduras must hold a free, fair, and transparent elections.  No intimidation, no stolen ballots, no foreign interference.  The eye of the United States is upon Honduras this November 30th.
In the United States, there are more than one million Hondurans, hundreds of thousands of them in my own district.   Florida, district number 27, the heart of the city of Miami.

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