HONDURAS: Procession of ex-ministers in the courts for corruption

By Thelma Mejía Reprint | | Print |

Thelma Mejia

TEGUCIGALPA, Jun 19 1995 (IPS) - Honduran courts have become the scene of a procession of former government ministers accused of abuse of power and administrative irregularities.

One of the first to present himself before the Court of Tegucigalpa, which is holding four trials against ex-president Rafael Callejas (1990-94) and members of his cabinet, was former interior minister Selim Discua, brother of the present commander of the Armed Forces, Gen. Luis Discua.

Callejas is facing four charges brought by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for irregularities in the sale of equipment and machinery belonging to the Ministry of Communications, Public Works and Transport, as well as for other alleged offences.

After prolonged questioning by Investigating Magistrate, Roy Medina, of the First Criminal Assizes last Wednesday, ex-minister Discua said he was interrogated about a series of decisions taken by the cabinet presided over by Callejas.

“Judge Medina did not find any justification for ordering my arrest and imprisonment,” Discua told reporters.

According to Honduran law, a judge can order an arrest for six days to enable him to continue investigating an alleged offender, but can allow him to go free if he finds no evidence to justify holding him.

Last week Callejas said he was the victim of political persecution by the government, led by the Liberal Party. He said he would mobilise the people for a series of protest demonstrations to oppose the government’s action.

President Carlos Roberto Reina has suggested to Callejas that he keep calm and present himself before the courts to demonstrate his innocence.

“If they hold peaceful demonstrations they can all return home afterwards, but if there is violence, they will be faced by the police,” said Reina, referring to the supporters of his predecessor in office.

Callejas and his former ministers have appeared before the courts, but refused to abandon popular street demonstrations as one means of expressing their disagreement with the actions of justice.

The ex-president has been leading a series of demonstrations in various quarters and suburbs of Tegucigalpa, and has every intention of doing the same in other cities throughout Honduras.

Callejas has pointed out that the actions undertaken by the Public Prosecutor are illegal, given the fact that Administrative Tribunals have not as yet had time to examine all the various aspects of his case.

One group of government lawyers charge the former president with attempting to refuse to recognise the new juridical figure in the Honduran Criminal Code — the Public Ministry – which has the power to qualify types of crimes and decide to which court – ordinary or administrative – they should be sent for judgement.

During the course of one public protest demonstration last Tuesday, Callejas maintained that the government was persecuting him to hide “its incapacity to resolve the country’s economic problems, particularly the asphyxiating inflation”.

“Everything costs more, especially the basic products in the popular consumption basket, but the government prefers to offer the people a circus instead of food,” he said.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Honduras, Hugo Noe Pino, replied that it was false to suppose there was any connection between the decision to try high political leaders and the state of the economy, which in any case was beginning to give signs of recovery.

Reina has insisted that Callejas’ act of rebellion means in a certain sense an admission of guilt. “If the former ministers are innocent, then let them demonstrate it in the courts,” he added.

Callejas eveidenlty wants to return to politics to take over the reins of the opposition National Party, the second largest in the country.

In Honduras the two great traditional parties, the Liberal and the National, have alternated in power for the last few decades.

The episodes between the former members of the government and the Public Ministry have been described by some analysts as “a storm in a teacup”, while other political commentators believe that they may mean the beginning of a dangerous period of instability and political confrontation.