TEGUCIGALPA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The presidential candidate of Honduras' Liberal Party, Elvin Santos, said Saturday that if he wins Sunday's elections he will withdraw Honduras from the Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas (ALBA).
He told a press conference in Tegucigalpa that Honduras "has not evaluated yet the benefits that ALBA has brought. However, we know it has brought us problems."
Santos said he does not agree that Honduras would continue to be part of that regional group until they know the real benefits it has brought to the country, because "it has brought us an enormous problem that currently has divided our people."
Honduras joined ALBA in August 2008 during the administration of the ousted President Manuel Zelaya, who is also from the Liberal Party.
According to the Social, External Debt and Development Forum of Honduras, 74 percent of the aid sent to Honduras in 2008 came from Venezuela, the promoter of ALBA.
Santos said the general elections are the solution to the current political crisis in the country.
Honduras will vote on Sunday to choose a president, three vice presidents, 128 deputies to the Congress, and 298 mayors.
De facto Honduran leader urges Zelaya supporters not to disrupt elections
TEGUCIGALPA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Honduras' de facto leader Roberto Micheletti on Saturday urged supporters of ousted president Manuel Zelaya not to carry out bombing attacks to disrupt the general elections and called on the public to stay calm.
"I beg you on my knees if it is necessary: do not set bombs to kill people," Micheletti said during an interview with local radio station HRN. "This country deserves peace, tranquility and it wants to live in democracy." Full story
De facto Honduran leader: Honduran elections to be most observed
TEGUCIGALPA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- De facto Honduran leader Roberto Micheletti said on Saturday that the elections of Sunday "will be the ones most observed," despite that most of the international community will not recognize the outcomes.
Micheletti, told local radio station HRN that he thinks that among the 4.6 million Hondurans registered to vote, some 2.5 million will be expected to cast their ballots at voting centers. Full story
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Elvin Santos, presidential candidate for the right-wing Liberal Party takes an interview in Tegucigalpa, capital of Honduras, Nov. 27, 2009. The general election of Honduras is to be held on Nov. 29, 2009. On Sunday, about 4.6 million Hondurans are to choose president, three vice presidents, 128 deputies to the National Congress and 298 mayors in the elections. (Xinhua/David de la Paz)
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TEGUCIGALPA, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- The two main presidential candidates in Honduras on Friday denied any connection between the general elections to be held on Nov. 29 and the country's political crisis, ignited by the military coup against ousted President Manuel Zelaya five months ago.
Elvin Santos, presidential candidate for the right-wing Liberal Party, told reporters that the elections were a constitutional mandate issued every four years for the Honduran people to choose their president and deputies to the National Congress. Full story
Nicaragua, El Salvador close borders with Honduras
TEGUCIGALPA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Nicaragua and El Salvador closed on Saturday their customs posts on the Honduras border and will open them again on Monday to avoid any possible incidents linked to Honduras' Sunday elections, Honduras police officers said.
Nicaragua sealed its El Espino, Guasaule and Las Manos border posts beginning at 6 a.m. local time (1200 GMT), police spokesman Orlin Cerrato told media. El Salvador will do the same thing at noon local time (1800 GMT), he added. Full story
