Honduras inaugurates first female president, Kamala Harris vows closer US ties

TEGUCIGALPA (REUTERS) - Ms Xiomara Castro was sworn in as Honduras' first woman president on Thursday (Jan 27) in front of a cheering crowd including US Vice-President Kamala Harris, who pledged US government support to stem migration and fight corruption.

Ms Castro's inauguration ends the eight-year rule of Mr Juan Orlando Hernandez, a one-time US ally who has been accused in US courts of corruption and links to drug traffickers.

It comes as her government faces tests over a sharply divided Congress, rising debt and relations with China.

Ms Castro, flanked by her husband, former President Manuel Zelaya, was sworn in at a packed soccer stadium where supporters applauded her vows to fix the country's massive debt burden.

"The economic catastrophe that I'm inheriting is unparalleled in the history of our country," a sombre Ms Castro said in her inaugural address.

Ms Harris, who was loudly applauded when introduced during the inauguration, congratulated Ms Castro over her "democratic election."

In a meeting shortly after the ceremony, Ms Harris promised to collaborate on migration issues, economic development and fighting impunity, and said she welcomed Ms Castro's plans to request United Nations help to establish an anti-corruption commission.

Ms 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 US President Joe Biden's popularity at home has waned and his immigration strategy has stalled.

"We do very much want and intend to do what we can to support this new president," said one administration official.

Ms Castro tweeted that she appreciated Ms Harris' visit and the Biden administration's willingness to support the Honduran government.

Ms Harris also pledged to send Honduras several hundred thousand more Covid-19 vaccine doses along with 500,000 syringes and US$1.3 million (S$1.76 million) for health and educational facilities.

The two did not discuss China, she told reporters.

US officials want to work with Ms 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 is one of the few countries maintaining diplomatic ties with Taipei instead of Beijing, and Ms Castro during her campaign backtracked on comments that she might switch allegiance to China as president.

Taiwanese Vice-President William Lai attended the inauguration in a bid to bolster ties with Ms Castro's government. Ms Harris said the two spoke over their common interest in Central America.

Mr Luis Leon, director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy in Central America, said Ms Harris' arrival was a boost for Ms Castro in the dispute over control of Congress and in addressing Honduras' weak economy.

Ms Castro said it was "practically impossible" to make current debt payments without a restructuring, after debt jumped sevenfold under her two conservative predecessors.

The country's total debt stands at about US$15.5 billion, or nearly 60 per cent of gross domestic product, an economic problem Ms Castro frequently highlighted ahead of her landslide win in November.

"My government will not continue the maelstrom of looting that has condemned generations of young people to pay the debt they incurred behind their back," she added.

She vowed to immediately give more than 1 million poor Hondurans free electricity, with bigger consumers subsidising the cost.

Ms Castro, who describes herself as a democratic socialist, has vowed to tackle corruption, poverty and violence, chronic problems that have fuelled US-bound migrants.

But her legislative programme has been jeopardised 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.

Ms Castro also takes office at a time of controversy for her predecessor Mr Hernandez, who had been a longstanding US ally in immigration and anti-narcotics operations.

US Congresswoman Norma Torres has called for Mr Hernandez's indictment on drug charges, and for US officials to request his extradition.

But Mr Hernandez may be shielded from extradition for up to four years as a new member of the Central American Parliament.

He has repeatedly denied accusations of corruption and links to drug traffickers.

Mr Hernandez's brother last year was sentenced by a US judge to life in prison plus 30 years for drug trafficking.