US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1593

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001593 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC, DRL/PHD, EB, AND INR/B 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, KCOR, PINR, ECON, HO 
SUBJECT: DEMOCRACY AND DYNASTIES: THE SAGA OF HONDURAN 
POLITICAL FAMILIES IN THE LIBERAL PARTY 
 
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 1174 
 
1.  SUMMARY: The politics of Honduras have been dominated by 
a group of dynasties that have controlled the politics in the 
country for decades.  Local press coverage has recently 
focused on the younger potential politicians in those 
dynasties.  There are no laws prohibiting children of current 
or former high officials from running for office or holding 
appointed positions and many, especially these children, feel 
it would be wrong and undemocratic to deny people the right 
to be politically active just because of their familial 
connections to past politicians.  It is debatable whether or 
not this new generation of politicians is worthy of the 
public's vote or if they are riding the coattails of their 
prominent family members to get elected to their positions. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  There is a new generation of young politicians in 
Honduras, whose parents and other family members have held 
high political positions in the past.  The prominent Flores, 
Reina, Pineda, and Azcona families have dominated the Liberal 
Party political scene in Honduras for some time.  Political 
dynasties have turned the two major parties, the National and 
Liberal Parties, into "family property."  There are more 
family ties in the Liberal Party (LP) than in the National 
Party (NP).  The increased presence of young people in 
politics and parties, specifically the LP, may be an effort 
to increase support in this year's elections. 
 
3.  Progeny of political dynasties currently hold several 
elected and appointed positions in the Liberal Party (see 
reftel).  Mary Elizabeth "Lizzi" Flores Flake, daughter of 
former President Carlos Flores, is currently the Secretary of 
Youth Affairs of the Executive Council of the LP and the top 
congressional candidate on the LP ticket for the department 
that includes Tegucigalpa.  Jose Simon Azcona Bocock, 
nicknamed "Azconita", is a Tegucigalpa city councilman and 
the son of former president Jose Azcona.  He follows Flores 
as the number two congressional candidate on the LP ticket 
for the department that includes Tegucigalpa.  Octavio Pineda 
Espinoza, son of the former presidential candidate Rafael 
Pineda Ponce is on the Executive Central Council of the LP 
and was elected to a congressional position in 2001.  He lost 
in the February primaries and will not be running for 
reelection to Congress. 
 
4.  Critics argue that many of these young people lack the 
political know how and time in the political arena to have 
gained their high positions through merit.  Many attribute 
Azconita's success to favorable TV coverage and Octavio 
Pineda's win to his being the son of Pineda Ponce.  On the 
other hand, these "political heirs" believe the critics are 
unjustly questioning their positions, either because they are 
looking for a story or because the critics are envious.  In 
the opinion of Azconita "In most cases, the criticism is 
unjust; most children of political figures have earned their 
positions through genuine knowing and touching the minds and 
hearts of the Honduran people, like any activist."  Others 
contend that their prominent family members are no longer 
politically active and, therefore, their relationships do not 
figure into elections and appointments. 
 
5.  Comment: While some of the new generation of politicians 
have honestly earned their top positions, many have not. 
Often their positions have been handed to them by family 
members.  This system of cronyism is a part of the reason why 
Honduras has such a debilitating corruption problem.  Family 
members, close friends, and associates are given top 
positions without a thought to their qualifications and 
integrity.  Ironically, Flores and Azcona, despite being 
political legacies, are very popular and have given a 
youthful face to a party in which the older generation was 
largely defeated by LP presidential nominee Mel Zelaya and 
his congressional slate (including Flores and Azcona) in the 
February primaries.  End Comment. 
Tuebner