US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA2373

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 002373 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC, WHA/USOAS, DRL/IRF, AND DRL/PHD 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CEN AND DCHA/DG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KIRF, PHUM, PREL, KDEM, HO 
SUBJECT: HONDURAN ELECTIONS: THE PROTESTANT EVANGELICAL VOTE 
- A GROWING FORCE IN POLITICS 
 
REF: Tegucigalpa 2346 and previous 
 
1. Summary: For hundreds of years, the Roman Catholic Church 
dominated both religiously and politically within Honduras. 
Although the government has always been officially secular, 
a strong Catholic influence has been present.  For a variety 
of reasons, including a large number of Protestant 
missionaries, during the last two decades many Hondurans 
have slowly moved away from Catholicism and have turned 
increasingly to Protestant evangelical churches. 
Paralleling this religious movement, a political movement 
has also occurred.  The upcoming national elections on 
November 27 are likely to reveal the present influence that 
the Protestant evangelical community has in Honduran 
politics.  End Summary. 
 
2.  A key moment in the modern Protestant evangelical 
community was the 1972 establishment of the church presently 
called "Vida Abundante."  Since its genesis in the early 
1970s, the church has increased both its membership and its 
affiliations with other churches, estimated at 300 
Protestant evangelical churches.  An Evangelical council, 
the Evangelical Brotherhood of Honduras (Confraternidad 
Evangelica de Honduras - CEH), was established in 1987 to 
unite the different Protestant evangelical 
associations/churches within Honduras.  The council oversees 
numerous Protestant evangelical church-based social programs 
and has a live weekly television and radio show. 
 
3.  The growth of Protestant evangelical community, which 
according to the CEH accounts for 1.8 million (26 percent) 
of the approximate 7 million Honduran population, has been 
quite visible. A 2002 survey by Le Vote Harris reported that 
63 percent of respondents identified themselves as Roman 
Catholics, 23 percent as Protestant evangelicals, and 14 
percent as "other" or did not respond.  An unpublished 
survey conducted in October 2005 by Ingenieria Gerencial, 
S.A reported that 60.4 percent of respondents identified 
themselves as Catholics, 30.8 percent as Protestant 
evangelicals, 4.2 as non believers, and the remaining as 
"other."  While statistics have not shown a split between 
Catholic and Protestant voters on party allegiance, it 
appears that religious voters tend to favor members of their 
church when they are candidates. 
 
4.  When the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) made a highly 
controversial decision in June 2005 to approve Protestant 
clerical participation in government, the Protestant 
evangelical community had 14 of their own ministers running 
in the November 27 elections.  However, on July 28 the 
Supreme Court rejected on largely technical grounds the 
decision previously made by the TSE, although their 
participation was argued to be unconstitutional.  Article 77 
of the Honduran Constitution states that ministers of 
different religious groups cannot hold office and/or 
participate in electoral or political propaganda to promote 
their religious beliefs.  Article 198 states that in order 
to be elected into office, one must belong to the secular 
state.  The ruling stripped all 14 Protestant ministers of 
their candidacy.  Three ministers, Mario Tomas Barahona and 
Heriberto Antonio Chicas Portillo of the National Party, 
along with Rafael Antunez of the Liberal Party, did not 
accept the decision of the Supreme Court and filed an appeal 
while the other ministers petitioned for formal assistance 
from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.  Appeals 
where not resolved in time, however, for their participation 
in the November 27 elections. 
 
5.  Forced to relinquish his candidacy, Protestant Minister 
Mario Tomas Barahona successfully persuaded the National 
Party to accept his request to have his son run in his 
place, instead of his alternate (who was elected in the 
primaries).  This controversial action fueled allegations by 
some pundits that ministers can use their power of influence 
to sway votes for or against certain politicians. 
Additionally, some NGOs have disapprovingly told EmbOffs 
that they believe lobbying by Protestant evangelicals has 
led to recent legislative changes such as the reaffirmation 
of a ban on abortion and an amendment to the constitution 
banning gay marriage.  Both of these issues are ones 
National Party presidential candidate Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo 
Sosa raises in stump speeches. 
 
6.  On October 27, the Protestant evangelical church "Vida 
Abundante" hosted their traditional pre-election "Advice and 
Prayer" gathering with the presidential candidates: Lobo, 
Liberal Party candidate Manuel "Mel" Zelaya Rosales, 
Innovation and National Unity Party (PINU) candidate Carlos 
Alejandro Sosa Coello, Democratic Unification (UD) Party 
candidate Juan Angel Alemendares Bonilla, and Christian 
Democrat candidate Juan Ramon Martinez.  The event was 
broadcast live on both TV and radio in order to reach remote 
areas of the country.  Zelaya said he would commit himself 
to the concerns of the Protestant evangelical church and its 
constituents if he were elected.  Lobo also wooed the 
Protestant evangelical vote by siding with positions held by 
most of their churches on issues such as abortion, gay 
marriage, and family values (although most Catholic and 
Protestant voters do not appear to hold different positions 
on these issues). 
 
7.  Comment: What is apparent is that the Protestant 
evangelical community's sphere of influence is growing. 
What is not certain yet, however, is to what extent.  The 
results of the election, where the Evangelical Brotherhood 
of Honduras has "blessed" numerous candidates from various 
political parties who they believe embody Protestant 
evangelical values, should help determine their clout.  End 
Comment. 
 
Ford