Patrick Leahy: “today marks the 1-year anniversary of the election of Xiomara Castro Sarmiento, the first woman to hold the office of…”

“today marks the 1-year anniversary of the election of Xiomara Castro Sarmiento, the first woman to hold the office of President of Honduras. She succeeded Juan Orlando Hernandez who had discredited the office of the Presidency by colluding with drug traffickers, corrupt business owners, and other criminals; abusing his authority by pressuring corrupt legislators and judges to dismantle the institutions of democracy; and using the armed forces and police to brutally silence his critics. The many crimes committed by his government were well documented, yet numerous U.S. officials treated him like a legitimate partner even after his stolen reelection in 2017, until he was finally arrested and extradited to the United States. The election of President Castro gave the people of Honduras a new sense of hope that finally that dark period was behind them, that rather than seeking to enrich themselves and hold onto power, she and her administration would finally tackle the grinding poverty, inequality, injustice, impunity, and insecurity that have caused so many Hondurans to seek a better, safer life outside the country. It has now been 10 months since President Castro was sworn in, and her record is mixed. She has taken a number of important steps to reverse the improper and illegal practices of her predecessor and to put the country on a brighter path.…”