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UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000035 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KJUS KDEM HO
SUBJECT: CONGRESS SHELVES AMNESTY DECREE AND PULLS HONDURAS 
OUT OF ALBA 
 
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 00026 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: With less than two weeks remaining before 
its term ends on January 21, the Congress on January 12 did 
not, as expected, take up for discussion a draft decree 
providing political amnesty to all actors in Honduras' 
political crisis.  The likely motivation was the opposition 
to the bill by both hard right elements among de facto regime 
supporters and opponents and calls by civil society 
organizations for greater analysis of its implications.  The 
Congress on January 12 also withdrew Honduras from the 
Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) which it had 
joined on August 25, 2008.  Interestingly, the Honduran 
National Congress in September 2008 approved membership in 
ALBA unde the legislative leadership and guiding hand of then 
Congress President Micheletti.  In the fall of 2008, 
Micheletti and Zelaya were close allies and Zelaya strongly 
supported Micheletti's unsuccessful bid to win the Liberal 
Party presidential nomination.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) A draft decree providing political amnesty to all 
actors in Honduras' political crisis was presented to the 
Executive Board of the Congress and its discussion was 
expected to begin on the floor of the Congress on January 11 
(reftel).  However, the Congress' Executive Board did not 
place the bill on the agenda of items to be discussed before 
the Congress ends its term on January 21.  The Board's action 
was likely prompted by the opposition to the bill by both the 
hard right elements among de facto regime supporters, in 
particular the Civic Democratic Union (UCD), and de facto 
regime opponents.  Non-governmental and religious 
organizations had asked Congress not to place the bill on its 
roster of items for discussion in order to allow them to 
study its implications.  According to the press, President of 
the Bar Association Oscar Garcia stated that an in-depth 
analysis of the draft decree was necessary.  Some are calling 
for creation of a Truth Commission, as provided in the 
Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord, and for the commission to 
complete its work before the question of amnesty is discussed 
by Congress.  According to the press, Liberal Party whip 
Marco Antonio Andino stated that there needs to be wider 
distribution of the draft decree and discussion of it by all 
sectors of society. 
 
¶3. (U) The Congress on January 12 pulled Honduras out of 
ALBA, which it had joined on August 25, 2008.  The bill, 
entitled Denunciation of the Declaration of Adherence to the 
Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas, ALBA and the Annexed 
Declaration" was presented to Congress on December 16 by the 
de facto regime's Ministry to the Presidency.  On that date, 
a special congressional commission was formed to examine the 
bill and report on it to the full Congress.  The commission 
was composed of the following members of Congress: Manuel 
Fiallos, Juan de la Cruz Avelar, and Victor Sabillon of the 
Liberal Party of President Jose Manuel "Mel" Zelaya and de 
facto regime leader Roberto Micheletti; Rolando Dubon and 
Antonio Rivera of the National party of president-elect 
Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo; Juan Velasquez of the Christian 
Democratic Party; and Jose Toribio of the Social Democratic 
Innovation and Unity Party (PINU).  The committee's findings 
were submitted to the full Congress on January 12. 
Congressman Fiallos made a motion that the three debates 
required on the bill be dispensed with and that Honduras be 
withdrawn from ALBA.  His motion was approved by simple 
majority by a show of hands. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The reason given by legislators for the decision to 
annul the treaty was that while ALBA provided a sizable level 
of development assistance resources for Honduras, ultimately 
the agreement had paved the way for Venezuelan and Cuban 
intervention in the internal affairs of Honduras. 
Interestingly, the Honduran National Congress in September 
2008 approved membership in ALBA under the legislative 
leadership and guiding hand of then Congress President 
Micheletti.  In the fall of 2008, Micheletti and Zelaya were 
close allies and Zelaya strongly supported Micheletti's 
unsuccessful bid to win the Liberal Party presidential 
nomination. 
LLORENS