Earlier this week, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in response to widespread concerns about potential electoral fraud or manipulation in Honduras’ upcoming presidential election.

                In the letter dated November 10^th, Smith urged the top U.S. officials to publicly communicate that a productive and beneficial U.S.—Honduran diplomatic relationship depends upon free and fair elections—and that “any effort to subvert the will of the Honduran people will carry serious consequences for bilateral relations and regional stability.”

                Smith noted that Sec. Rubio and many others in the Trump administration have made it clear that the ruling party in Honduras—the Liberty and Refoundation party (LIBRE)—has an extremely poor record on democracy and the rule of law:

                “Many Hondurans are concerned about the upcoming election—and they have reason to be,” said Smith, a renowned human rights lawmaker.

                “The Trump administration, more than any other administration in U.S. history, has a more complete understanding of the numerous challenges facing Latin America—and we really must thank Secretary Rubio for providing a renewed focus on Latin America in U.S. policy, as well as his savvy, principled commitment to human rights.

                “I am confident that—publicly or privately—the administration will take appropriate action to express U.S. support for free and fair elections in Honduras, and I hope that my proposals can contribute to that effort,” remarked Smith.

                Smith’s letter proposes the following initiatives for the United States to better support and promote democracy in Honduras:

• The deployment of an official U.S. delegation to Honduras to observe the election;
• Constructive engagement with the Honduran Armed Forces, emphasizing their responsibility to uphold the democratic process; and
• The issuance of public statements in support of free and fair elections, strengthening independent election observation, the mobilization of diplomatic resources, and holding accountable any attempts to undermine the democratic process.

                Smith has extensive, internationally recognized experience—spanning more than four and a half decades—in legislating and advocating on behalf of issues relating to free and fair elections and the rule law, largely through his leadership and involvement with the Human Rights Subcommittee, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, and the Helsinki Commission.

                The presidential election in Honduras is scheduled for November 30^th. On November 11^th, the Organization of American States (OAS) issued a statement on the fraught election process in Honduras. 

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