Honduras

HONDURAS In the past three months, criticism of the judiciary once again had an impact on the Honduran press. A court summoned El Heraldo newspaper reporter Leonarda Andino for publishing excerpts of the most recent report of the National Human Rights Commissioner regarding allegations of political influence and corruption in the judiciary. The newspaper protested the summons since the human rights commissioner’s report was acknowledged as authentic and was widely disseminated by other media. Nevertheless, the summons issued to Andino was not revoked. It requires her to testify before a judge about the circumstances of the publication, in what was seen as a veiled threat against the media. Also during the past three months, the Acan-Efe news agency reported that journalist Rossana Guevara lost her position as a manager in Vica-Television’s news department over government pressure due to her critical stance. The news agency cited Guevara as saying the last straw was a cartoon criticizing President Carlos Flores. The television company and the presidency did not comment on the matter. In July, San Pedro Sula mayoral candidate Oscar Kilgore, of the opposition National Party, threatened to sue El Heraldo journalist Sogelia Alvarado. Her story said Kilgore had accused judges, including the chief justice, of corruption. Kilgore, who denied making any such remarks, risks an annulment of his candidacy if accused of defamation. Alvarado, coincidentally, is the daughter of well-known former judge. The daily La Prensa reported that National Party congressional candidate Rodolfo Irías Navas assaulted Ramón Tejeda, the newspaper’s correspondent in La Ceiba, following Tejeda’s interview with presidential contender Ricardo Maduro. Irías Navas got upset when Tejeda asked the presidential hopeful if he would retain Irías Navas on his electoral list even though the latter faced corruption accusations. Irías Navas, a former president of Congress, is under investigation for alleged unlawful enrichment, as are other former officials in the past National Party administration.