By Orfa Mejia and Brendan O’Boyle
TEGUCIGALPA/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Washington urged Honduras to rethink its intention to depart a long-standing extradition treaty on Thursday, as Honduran President Xiomara Castro warned of a plot towards her leftist authorities amid a recent diplomatic row between the 2 nations.
Castro, who ordered her authorities to withdraw from the treaty after the U.S. ambassador expressed concern over a gathering between Honduran and Venezuelan protection officers, urged the treaty was getting used to intervene in home affairs.
“A plan is being hatched towards my authorities and it is vital that the individuals know this,” stated Castro.
“I will not enable the extradition instrument for use to intimidate or blackmail the Honduran Armed Forces. We’re defending our armed forces, not coups,” she added.
The extradition treaty stays in power, based on a U.S. State Division spokesperson who spoke on background. The official defended extradition as mutually useful to each international locations.
“We strongly urge the federal government of Honduras to rethink this choice,” the spokesperson added in a press release to Reuters, arguing efforts to fight drug trafficking could be damage if it stands.
The extradition treaty, which has been in place for over a century, has facilitated the extradition of high-profile Hondurans to the U.S., together with Castro’s predecessor, former President Juan Orlando Hernandez.
Tensions ignited between the U.S. and Honduras this week after U.S. Ambassador to Honduras Laura Dogu stated she was “stunned” to see Honduran officers sit down with “drug traffickers.”
Final week, high Honduras navy leaders met within the Central American nation with Venezuelan Protection Minister Vladimir Padrino, who faces drug trafficking prices within the U.S.
Honduran Overseas Minister Enrique Reina stated earlier on Thursday {that a} coup was being promoted throughout the nation’s navy, saying that Dogu’s assertion “virtually accuses” senior Honduran navy leaders of involvement in drug trafficking.
Castro’s authorities sees socialist-run Venezuela, whose authorities Washington considers illegitimate, as an in depth ally. Her husband, former President Manuel Zelaya, was deposed in a 2009 coup after aligning with late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
America, in the meantime, has lengthy performed a big function in Honduran politics, basing troops there for the reason that Chilly Struggle and backing Hernandez even after claims of fraud in his 2017 reelection.
The U.S. Embassy in Honduras didn’t reply to requests for remark.