Honduras: Political and Economic Situation and U.S. Relations

Honduras faces significant challenges in the areas of crime and human rights and improving overall economic and living conditions in one of the hemispheres poorest countries. In November 2005, Hondurans elected Manuel Zelaya of the Liberal Party as president in an election marred by technical difficulties that delayed the official count. The United States has a close relationship with Honduras, characterized by significant foreign assistance, an important trade partnership, a U.S. military presence in the country, and cooperation on a range of transnational issues. Honduras is a party to the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement DR-CAFTA, which was approved by the Honduran Congress in March 2005 and by the U.S. Congress in July 2005 P.L. 109-53. The agreement entered into force with Honduras on April 1, 2006. In February 2006, the Department of Homeland Security announced the extension of Temporary Protected Status TPS for some 75,000 eligible Hondurans in the United States until July 5, 2007 TPS had been scheduled to expire on July 5, 2006.