Could new start for Honduras slow migrant flow?

Revolutions can be violent or silent. The most fruitful and enduring are often the latter and one such many have occurred on Nov. 28, 2021, when Honduran voters resoundingly ousted the sitting president Juan Orlando Hernandez, engaging in a peaceful and democratic revolution at the ballot box.

Xiomara Castro de Zelaya and the Libre coalition made history that day by receiving the most votes ever cast for a presidential candidate. Hondurans elected their first president in recent history from outside the country's two traditional parties — and their first woman president.

That night Hondurans, led by grassroots community groups, celebrated the end of 12 years of hardship and oppression under National Party rule.

I was among the 22,000 who gathered at the National Stadium in Tegucigalpa last week as the new president took the stage to deliver her inaugural address. The yearlong campaign was exceptionally violent, with 30 political murders in a country just twice the population of Minnesota.

Xiomara Castro paid homage to all the country's martyrs and pledged "to reestablish respect and security for its citizens … in order to stem the caravans of thousands of people fleeing to the north searching for a place to survive."

The election of Castro presents the opportunity for an inflection point in our relationship with Honduras, beginning with the push factors that fuel migration. Aside from violence and poverty, the underlying driver forcing Hondurans to leave their country is corruption.

Under the current government, a climate of corruption and impunity flows through the chain of authority from police to prosecutors to judges and, ultimately, to business leaders and politicians. Some 90% of all murders result in impunity and it is estimated that 30 to 40% of all foreign aid Honduras receives is siphoned off, with the net effect crippling schools, hospitals and highways.

Combating corruption needs to be the starting point of U.S. policy toward Honduras under the new government. Improved governance and rule of law must be the centerpiece from the outset, according to Adriana Beltran of the human rights group the Washington Office on Latin America. Historically the U.S. has simply channeled direct investment, military and security aid to Honduras. This approach hasn't helped the people who need assistance the most, and ultimately contributes to the underlying system of corruption.

Improving living conditions in Honduras to stem the flow of people who are forced to flee their country requires changes in our foreign investment and policy strategy. Instead of looking upon our southern neighbor primarily in a strict business sense and a location to maintain a geopolitical foothold in Central America, we need a different set of priorities and a new economic model. The road ahead will reveal our nation's true interests.

As outlined in President Joe Biden's proposed U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, let's begin by partnering with the new government to identify methods of reducing corruption, such as providing and training prosecutors and enlisting the support of existing international organizations that already have anti-corruption mechanisms in place.

Instead of funneling investment just to mega development projects that benefit large multinational corporations, we should promote public-private partnerships and invest in civil society organizations that are on the front lines of addressing the root causes of migration. And for once, the voices of Indigenous people who have been gravely impacted by large scale mining, energy and water projects need to be heard.

Honduras faces a historic moment, a rare opportunity for the U.S. to embark on a new path with our southern neighbor. But a new beginning starts with their leadership adopting the political will along with the right priorities. If serious reforms are established, will it be business as usual for the U.S., or will we assist the new government in tackling systemic corruption so Honduran families are no longer forced to flee for their well-being?