Gustavo Palencia & Trevor Hunnicutt

TEGUCIGALPA -On Thursday, Honduras’ first women president was sworn in in front of a cheering crowd.

Castro’s inauguration ends the eight-year rule of Juan Orlando Hernandez, a one-time U.S. ally who has been accused in U.S. courts https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-honduras/honduran-president-target-of-u-s-investigation-court-filings-show-idUSKBN2A8291 of corruption and links to drug traffickers. Her government will be tested over the sharply divided Congress, growing debt and relationship with China.

Castro was flanked at the ceremony by Manuel Zelaya (ex-President), who applauded her pledges to reduce the nation’s huge debt.

Castro declared in her inaugural address, “The economic tragedy that I am inheriting is unprecedented in the history of this country,”

Harris was widely applauded at the introduction of Castro during the inauguration.

Harris, who had just met with Castro shortly after the ceremony to promise to cooperate on immigration issues, economic growth, and fighting impunity, said that she was happy to hear Castro’s plan to ask for United Nations assistance to create an anti-corruption committee.

Harris has been tasked with addressing the “root causes” of migration in Central America’s impoverished Northern Triangle of countries, but her trip comes as U.S. President Joe Biden’s popularity at home has waned and his immigration strategy https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-children-insight-idCAKBN2C21FH has stalled https://www.reuters.com/world/us/bidens-immigration-goals-fade-after-setbacks-us-mexico-border-2022-01-20.

One administration official stated that they wanted to help the new president and did so.

Castro said that Harris visited her and thanked the Biden administration for their willingness to help the Honduran government.

Harris pledged also to send Honduras several thousand additional COVID-19 vaccination doses, along with $500,000 worth of syringes.

According to her, the two didn’t discuss China.

    U.S. officials want to work with Castro both to curb illegal immigration from Central America and shore up international support for Taiwan as part of its efforts to stem China’s influence.

Honduras remains one of few countries with diplomatic ties to Taipei. Castro made comments about China during her campaign that suggested she could switch to China’s side as President.

    Taiwanese Vice President William Lai attended the inauguration in a bid https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-vice-president-leaves-shore-up-shaky-alliance-with-honduras-2022-01-25 to bolster ties with Castro’s government. Harris claimed that Harris spoke to Harris over Central America’s common interests.

Luis Leon of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy in Central America stated that Harris’s visit was a major boost for Castro in his dispute for Congress control and in trying to address Honduras’ weak economy.

“MAELSTROM OF LOOOTING”

Castro stated that it is “practically impossible to pay current debts without restructuring” after the debt rose sevenfold during her conservative predecessors.

Castro repeatedly highlighted this economic issue before the November win, when it was nearly 60% of Gross Domestic Product. The total country’s national debt is approximately $15.5 billion.

She said, “My government will stop the maelstrom that loots and has forced generations of young people behind their backs to repay the debt they incurred.”

With the help of larger customers, she promised to provide free electricity for more than 1,000,000 Hondurans.

Castro describes herself as democratic socialist and has pledged to address corruption, poverty, violence, which are chronic issues that fuel U.S.-bound immigrants.

But her legislative program has been jeopardized https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/honduras-next-president-blasts-party-betrayal-congress-2022-01-21 by renegade politicians from her leftist Libre party who allied with the opposition National Party to vote for one of its members to head Congress, breaking a pact with a key electoral ally.

Castro takes office in a controversial time for Hernandez who was a U.S. friend and longtime ally when it comes to immigration and counter-narcotics.

Norma Torres, a U.S. Congresswoman has demanded that Hernandez be indicted on drug-related charges and for U.S. officials request Hernandez’s extradition.

Hernandez, however, may not be extradited for as much as four years because he’s a new Central American member. His repeated denials of corruption allegations and links to drug traffickers have been denied.

Hernandez’s brother, who was sentenced to death in the United States last year for drug trafficking and 30 years imprisonment, has been released.