1 December 2009 / REUTERS, TEGUCIGALPA
Conservative opposition candidate Porfirio Lobo easily won Honduras’ presidential election on Sunday in a vote that has put the United States at odds with leftist governments in Latin America.
Lobo, a rich landowner, had over 55 percent support with more than half the votes counted and his closest rival, Elvin Santos of the ruling Liberal Party, then conceded defeat. The election could calm a five-month crisis which was sparked when the Honduran army overthrew leftist President Manuel Zelaya in June and flew him into exile. But while Washington commended Sunday’s vote, leftist rulers of Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and other Latin American countries say the election is invalid because it was backed by the coup leaders and could end any hope of Zelaya returning to power and completing his term, which is due to end in January. The division puts in danger US President Barack Obama’s attempts to turn a new page with Latin America where memories of military coups supported by the United States during the Cold War are still fresh.
