Document #1044790
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
In a 15 March 1998 telephone interview with
the Research Directorate, an executive assistant to the National
Party committee in Tegucigalpa stated that Ocotepeque candidate
Ricardo Peña of the National Party was elected to the
Honduran Congress during the 30 November 1997 national election.
The village of Agua Caliente is located in the municipality of
Ocotepeque in the Western Honduran department of the same name. She
added that Manuel Humberto Rodríguez was elected president
of the National Party's local chapter in Agua Caliente on 1
December 1996. The executive assistant could not provide the name
of Rodríguez' predecessor.
Specific information on whether there were
incidents of political violence between Liberal Party and National
Party supporters in Agua Caliente could not be found among the
sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, AFP and DPA
reported on 1 December 1997 that there had been no serious
incidents or electoral irregularities reported during the period
leading up to the 30 November 1997 national election in Honduras.
La Tribuna describes the political atmosphere following
the election as festive, peaceful and calm (1 Dec. 1997).This
Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible
information currently available to the Research Directorate within
time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be,
conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee
status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources
consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Agence France Presse (AFP). 1 December
1997. "Washington Pleased With Conduct of National Elections in
Honduras." (NEXIS)
Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 1
December 1997. "Carlos Flores Declares Himself Winner in Honduran
Presidential Vote." (NEXIS)
National Party, Tegucigalpa. 15 March
1998. Telephone interview with an executive assistant to the party
committee.
La Tribuna [Tegucigalpa]. 1
December 1997. "Miles de hondureños fueron excluidos a
última hora del censo." [Internet] http://www.latribuna.hn/1997/diciembre/1/
foro.htm [Accessed 13 Mar. 1998]
Additional Sources Consulted
Central America NewsPak
[Austin, Tex.]. 1997-1998.
Central America Report
[Guatemala City]. 1997-1998.
Keesing's Record of World
Events [Cambridge]. 1997.
La Prensa [Tegucigalpa].
1997.
Latinamerica Press [Lima].
1997-1998
Latin American Regional Report:
Caribbean & Central America Report [London].
1997-1998.
Electronic sources: IRB Databases,
Global News Bank, LEXIS/NEXIS, Internet, REFWORLD (UNHCR
database).