Santo Domingo spearheaded international diplomatic efforts this Monday by convening an extraordinary session of the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council to address mounting concerns surrounding Honduras’ contested electoral process. The high-level meeting, initiated at the Dominican Republic’s formal request, focused on the November 30 presidential elections that have drawn global scrutiny.
Participating via virtual connection, Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez delivered a decisive address urging institutional restraint and procedural safeguards. He called for Honduran security forces to maintain their constitutional mandate supporting the National Electoral Council (CNE) while emphasizing the critical preservation of all electoral materials.
The session featured a comprehensive briefing from Ambassador Eladio Loizaga, head of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Honduras, who provided an authoritative assessment of the current electoral landscape. Minister Álvarez articulated fundamental democratic principles, stating that rule of law must be grounded in due process and verifiable evidence rather than external pressures.
Álvarez issued a stark warning against political, institutional, or media influences attempting to sway the CNE’s deliberations. He reinforced that the National Electoral Council remains the sole entity legally authorized to administer elections and declare official results. The Dominican diplomat further urged the OAS to maintain vigilant oversight against any actions potentially compromising the integrity, independence, and legitimacy of Honduras’ electoral proceedings. He concluded by affirming that the sovereign will expressed by Honduran voters through democratic channels remains inviolable and non-negotiable.