Zelaya critica injerencismo de EEUU

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 001133

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2018
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EFIN, KDEM, NU, VE, HO
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ZELAYA AGAIN CRITICIZES U.S. POLICY IN
NICARAGUA

REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 1064
B. TEGUCIGALPA 1040

Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reason 1.4 (b & d)

1. (U) During a brief visit to Costa Rica for a graduation
ceremony, President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya made statements on
December 14 against U.S. policy in Nicaragua. He said
Honduras "laments" that the United States has intervened in
an electoral process by questioning the outcome. Zelaya said
that the people of Nicaragua and its President, Daniel
Ortega, must be respected and left to resolve their own
situation, and that all the countries of Central America will
join together, if necessary, to support Nicaragua and Daniel
Ortega, as the country's elected leader.

2. (C) Comment: Zelaya's statement reflects his attempts to
stay in good graces with ALBA. Despite having signed on to
ALBA in August, Zelaya has done little to move the Honduras'
policies closer to that of Venezuela and its allies, and has
worked to maintain good relations with the U.S. His
principal support for ALBA appear to be occasional statements
against international capitalism and recent swings at us on
Nicaragua. The Ambassador personally took Zelaya to task
(Ref A) after his first set of remarks on Nicaragua (Ref B)
and provided him with information on irregularities in that
countries' municipal elections. We will continue to raise
with Zelaya and the GOH our concerns about the threats to
democracy in Nicaragua. End Comment.
LLORENS