US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA910

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000910 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN 
STATE FOR PM, PM/RSAT, AND PM/PMAT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, MARR, IZ, HO 
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT MADURO DECLARES HONDURAS WILL WITHDRAW 
FROM IRAQ 
 
REF: A. STATE 87181 
 
     B. LINDWALL/PALMER E-MAIL 04/19 
     C. TEGUCIGALPA 893 
     D. CJCS-CHOD APRIL 16 2004 LETTER 
     E. TEGUCIGALPA 874 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Francisco Palmieri; 
reasons 1.4 (a), (b), and (d). 
 
1. (C) On April 19, President Maduro alerted the National 
Congress and announced publicly that Honduras would withdraw 
its troops from Iraq as soon as possible.  The Government of 
Honduras (GOH) cited Spain's decision to immediately withdraw 
its troops from Iraq as a significant factor in its decision. 
 Maduro stated, however, that Honduran troops had completed 
their congressionally-mandated mission there in response to 
UN Security Council Resolution 1483.  Prior to his public 
announcement, President Maduro had increasingly expressed 
concern over events in Iraq and their domestic political 
ramifications (ref's C and E). (Note: Post understands, via 
high-level contacts at the Presidential Palace, that ref D 
was a significant factor in Maduro's decision to announce the 
withdrawal of Honduran troops.  End Note.) 
 
2. (C) Minister of Defense Federico Breve already contacted 
MILGP Commander regarding the logistics of Honduras' 
withdrawal from Iraq.  MILGP Commander told Breve that those 
types of details would have to be worked out with CENTCOM and 
commanders in the field, although Post would assist the GOH 
where appropriate.  (Comment: Post understands that Coalition 
airlift capacity is limited.  Per ref B, we will work with 
the GOH regarding any unrealistic expectations of how quickly 
Honduran troops can be transported out of theater.  End 
Comment.) 
 
3. (C) Comment:  Honduras' participation in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom (OIF) was never popular, with public opinion polls 
indicating that 70 percent of the general public remain 
consistently  "very opposed" to a Honduran troop presence in 
Iraq, regardless of their mission there.  President Maduro's 
popularity remains tenuous and any Honduran casualties as a 
result of the GOH's participation in OIF could severely hurt 
his Nationalist Party in the next presidential election 
cycle, which has already begun in earnest.  Maduro also 
privately expressed concern over potential political fallout 
he might suffer regarding the GOH's introduction of a UN 
Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) resolution on Cuba.  It 
appears that Maduro has decided that any consternation in the 
U.S. over the GOH's decision to publicly announce a troop 
withdrawal as soon as possible is a lesser problem than 
having to explain to an increasingly skeptical electorate the 
continued need for Honduran troops in Iraq.  End Comment 
 
4. (U) Minimize considered. 
PALMER