UN presses Honduras for elections with rights guaranteed

The United Nations (UN) has made a pressing appeal to the Government of Honduras to terminate the existing state of emergency ahead of the general elections planned for November 30, 2025. The international organization emphasizes that the extension of this extraordinary measure poses a direct threat to the exercise of fundamental rights, as it restricts crucial freedoms such as movement, assembly, and peaceful protest. The UN cautions that keeping a state of emergency without proper oversight could harm the credibility of the electoral process and the democratic climate in the nation.

In their announcement, the group highlights the necessity for elections to occur in a setting devoid of intimidation and undue limitations. Prolonging the emergency situation might foster an atmosphere of fear incompatible with open and just elections, potentially escalating the misuse of power and restricting the engagement of political and social figures. Consequently, they call for the complete reinstatement of constitutional protections to guarantee equal opportunities for involvement.

Dangers linked to the state of emergency within the electoral environment

Several organizations related to human rights within the United Nations system have emphasized that extending the state of emergency in Honduras escalates the chance of authoritarian actions and negatively impacts the political involvement of opposition groups and civil society associations. Restricting freedoms like protest and gathering jeopardizes democratic progress, particularly during an electoral period.

The commentator on civic and political freedoms has stressed that democracy and suppression cannot exist together. Sustaining the emergency situation might weaken the credibility of the procedure and diminish the public’s trust in the organizations tasked with ensuring fair elections.

Invitation to ensure an open and fair voting procedure

Given these circumstances, the UN has urged the authorities in Honduras to completely reinstate the suspended constitutional rights and ensure the freedom of the press, public demonstrations, and citizen gatherings throughout the electoral period. It has also emphasized the necessity of reinforcing the National Electoral Council (CNE) as an autonomous institution and permitting unrestricted national and international observation to guarantee the process’s transparency and legitimacy.

The global organization determines that progressing towards valid elections cannot be achieved while an emergency state is in place. To safeguard the country’s democratic values, it is crucial to end this exceptional situation and encourage active involvement of citizens, ensuring equal opportunities and complete respect for basic rights.