US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA2067

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002067 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC, WHA/USOAS, AND DRL/PHD 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAM AND DCHA/DG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KDEM, HO 
SUBJECT: HONDURAN ELECTIONS NEWS: UPDATE 8 
 
REF: (A) Tegucigalpa 2055 
 
     (B) Tegucigalpa 2051 
     (C) Tegucigalpa 1984 
     (D) Tegucigalpa 1968 
     (E) Tegucigalpa 1949 
     (F) Tegucigalpa 1680 
     (G) Tegucigalpa 1665 
 
National ID Card to Cost $16 for Replacement 
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1. The National Register of Persons (RNP) is considering 
charging 300 lempiras (USD 15.9) for renewing a national 
identity card.  The RNP is planning to do this in view of the 
growing costs of this service.  According to the RNP, more 
than 70 percent of the national identity cards are 
replacements for lost cards.  Some of these ID cards have 
been "lost" by the owner of the card up to ten times. 
Replacing the card free of charge places undue costs on the 
GOH, and may help facilitate fraud.  First time requests for 
ID cards will remain free under this proposal.  The RNP 
already charges a small amount for certain documents, 
including ID cards when they are requested for the purpose of 
travel.  In 2005, over 400,000 ID cards have been reissued 
due to loss and RNP authorities believe that by the end of 
the year that the number may rise to 700,000. 
 
Prosecutors Charge Daughter of Minor Presidential Candidate 
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2. The Office of the Attorney General on Common Crimes 
brought charges against Alejandra Maria Martinez Midence, the 
28-year-old daughter of Juan Ramon Martinez, presidential 
candidate for the Christian Democratic Party, accusing her of 
aggravated homicide.  The preliminary audiences will be held 
during the third week of October.  In the meantime, the 
accused has collaborated with the investigations so the 
Attorney General's office decided not to order mandatory jail 
for Martinez Midence. 
 
3. According to investigations and the testimony of 
witnesses, Martinez Midence was driving from Tegucigalpa to 
Santa Lucia under the influence, in the company of two other 
people, when she hit Carlos Moises Triminio, age 28. 
Prosecutor Luis Echeverria said that Triminio was left 
unattended for over 30 minutes on the highway, receiving 
medical attention, and ultimately died.  Forensic results 
reveal that he had a deep wound in the femoral artery and 
therefore, bled to death.  However, Echeverria did not say 
that this was being investigated as a hit and run case. 
After conducting three scene reconstructions prosecutors 
decided that they had enough proof to charge Martinez Midence 
with aggravated homicide, particularly since she was under 
the influence of alcohol.  According to the Penal Code, the 
crime of aggravated homicide has a term from 5 to 8 years in 
jail. 
 
Human Rights Commission Office Registers Observers 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
4. The representatives of the National Human Rights 
Commission were the first to register September 29 with the 
Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) as domestic observers in the 
upcoming November 27 general elections.  These observers will 
travel on election day to different areas of the country in 
order to witness the electoral process, register 
irregularities and complaints, and if the electoral process 
should proceed without any incidents, serve as transparency 
witnesses in the process. 
 
Williard