US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA2912

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002912 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN, INR/B, EUR/WE, AND DRL/IRF 
STATE FOR EB/TPP/ABT AND EB/TPP/MTA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI, PHUM, PGOV, ETRD, PINR, KIRF, HO 
SUBJECT: CARDINAL RODRIGUEZ CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF SERVICE; 
DELIVERS SPEECH CRITICAL OF FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS 
 
 
1.  On December 8, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez celebrated 25 
years as a bishop (he has 33 years total in the priesthood). 
For his service, the Government of Honduras awarded him the 
"Great Extraordinary Cross", considered to be the highest 
award given by the GOH.  At two separate ceremonies, attended 
by high-level GOH officials, prominent businessmen and 
members of civil society, the Cardinal used the opportunity 
to promote his social and political philosophy.  Considered a 
strong candidate for the papacy, Cardinal Rodriguez possesses 
great clout in Honduras, and adroitly used his anniversary to 
address Honduran society on a wide scope of issues facing 
both the country and the world. 
 
2.  The controversial issue of globalization provided the 
framework for the Cardinal's main speech before the National 
Congress, which touched on topics such as the socioeconomic 
disparity among classes and social marginalization.  For the 
most part, his speech covered macro issues confronting the 
world, and rarely did he choose to address the specific 
concerns of Honduras.  However, on two such occasions, the 
Cardinal took ideological jabs at both the GOH and the United 
States.  The Cardinal expressed that he would like to see the 
National Congress grant explicit authority to the Supreme 
Court to interpret the Honduran Constitution, a past 
political hot potato.  He also more fervently attacked the 
FTAA and CAFTA, explicitly calling on the Congress to delay 
consideration of the agreement.  According to statistics 
presented by Cardinal Rodriguez, United States farm subsidies 
would cause 500,000 Hondurans employed in the agricultural 
sector to lose their jobs under CAFTA.  This, in effect, 
would cause a wave of migration to the cities, placing 
additional strain on public services and leading to higher 
levels of crime, he claimed.  Cardinal Rodriguez said he 
would like to see these free trade agreements postponed until 
the agricultural industry becomes more efficient and the 
United States changes its policy on farm subsidies. 
 
3.  COMMENT:  Cardinal Rodriguez, who has three PhDs and 
speaks eight languages, possesses a great philosophical 
acumen that often times strays from the pragmatic realities 
of society.  By nature of his position as the leader of the 
Catholic Church in Honduras, he appears to view the world as 
what it can become.  It is therefore evident in his public 
appearances that he is not an incrementalist and can at times 
vigorously advocate for the causes of social justice and 
economic equality.  As such, the reach of his political 
philosophy often exceeds the ability of Honduran society to 
grasp it.  END COMMENT. 
Palmer