US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA2309

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002309 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES 
DEPT. FOR EB/TPP DCLUNE, WHA/EPSC, AND WHA/CEN 
DEPT. PASS USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, PREL, ETRD, ENRG, KSUM, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON MAR DE PLATA AND CENTRAL AMERICAN 
REFINERY, NOVEMBER 10, 2005 
 
1. On 11/10 the San Pedro Sula-based liberal daily "Tiempo" 
ran an op-ed by Tulio Mariano Gonzales entitled "Honduras 
and the Possibility of a Central American Refinery."  "The 
Central American Integration System (SICA) is duplicating 
efforts by negotiating with Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia 
to build a gigantic refinery in the sub-region." 
 
"Honduras, which lacks a defined energy agenda, hasn't 
established a position." 
 
"Actually, the necessity to guarantee enough supply, lower 
costs, alleviate the energy crisis and strengthen commercial 
trade, and assure the joint generation of electrical energy 
have been discussed.  Recently, Bay of Tela was technically 
recognized for having unbeatable conditions for location of 
this refinery." 
 
"Taking advantage during the Fourth Summit of the Americas 
in Mar de Plata, the exhausted Central American Presidents 
and the weakened Mexican President agreed to boost the 
context of the Plan Puebla Panama (PPP) to include the 
electrical interconnection between the south of Mexico and 
its neighbors, the construction of a refinery, a 
hydroelectric plant and a gas pipe that will cross the whole 
isthmus thru Colombia." 
 
"It is a $3 billion initial investment.  The technical 
requirements to determine the depth, location, access, and 
other requirements will be defined soon; the Trujillo Bay 
meets these valuable factors and so the Government of 
Honduras has the opportunity to take a step forward or to 
continue being the Central American `cinderella.'" 
 
Ford