Election may calm Honduras waters, allow more aid

After more than four months of uncertainty, the people of Honduras elected a new president last week -- a move that will hopefully speed aid to the poor there, according to a Le Mars man with a close connection to the country.

Richard Sievert, director of Mission Honduras Le Mars and teacher at Gehlen Catholic School, has been closely following the situation in Honduras, especially since June, when the country's president was deposed.

That action froze international support to Honduras through groups like The World Bank, meaning rural health clinics, including two run by Mission Honduras, were suddenly cut off from financial aid.

People also faced closed schools, supermarkets, and transportation systems.

"Over 60 percent of eligible voters went to the polls," Sievert said of last week's vote. "I think what people were saying is 'We just want it over.'"

The day of the election, Sievert and friends made eight phone calls to places throughout Honduras, asking about the conditions to see if there was any unrest.

"As far as I know, we picked up only one small dust-up. Otherwise everything was peaceful, people were going to the polls, everything was normal," Sievert said. "We didn't hear of any great violence or anything."

Conservative candidate Porfirio Logo won by a strong majority.

"I think it means to the people of Honduras at least a semi return to normalcy," Sievert said. "I think some of our aid money will start to flow again from some of the countries -- like the United States."

However, the vote isn't a quick fix, Sievert noted.

"The impact is still to be felt because not all governments recognize the election," he said.

While U.S. leaders commended the vote, leftist Latin American governments like Brazil and Venezuela -- who supported the return of the former leftist president -- call the election invalid.

Former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, overthrown after seeking to look into re-writing the country's constitution, could have returned to finish his term, which ended in January, but the Honduran congress voted against that.

The move further angered leftist governments in the region and "disappointed" U.S. leaders.

In the meantime, humanitarian aid from groups like the World Bank and the European Union (EU) is still tied up, based on whether governments choose to recognize the new Honduran president, Sievert said.

"Only time is going to tell if the EU will restore the funds they have always contributed," Sievert said.

In the meantime, he said, the Mission Honduras continue to remain open through donations -- albeit with smaller salaries for workers.

"All of our other programs are up and running, and we're even growing in some areas," Sievert said. "It hasn't stopped us a bit."

While one Mission Honduras venture, a Briar Cliff student trip, slated for February after a November trip was postponed, is still on the fence, everything else is moving forward.

Gehlen Mission Honduras sends high school student groups each Easter to work alongside Honduran people and encounter their culture. Planning for the two student trips this year is continuing, Sievert said.

He hopes to travel to Honduras soon or send a representative to plan for the trips.

"We've been operating along, as normal," Sievert said. "We're looking at it pretty positive for the spring."