Brazilian congressman Raul Jungmann, the only representative from Brazil to be part of an observers' international committee on Sunday's ballot in Honduras says that BrasÀlia runs the risk of "isolation" if it does not recognize Honduras presidential elections.
The Brazilian press also pointed out to a similar situation quoting Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's international affairs advisor Marco Aurélio Garcia who said the government would be analyzing the latest events in Honduras.
Jungmann from the opposition Socialist Popular party said that if the administration of Lula does not review its position regarding the Honduras situation it will "isolate" itself from the international community where there is a growing consensus in favor of recognizing Sunday's elections results.
"It's inevitable that the government changes position, maybe not now, but at the end Brazil will have to recognize that the electoral process in Honduras did effectively abide by democratic principles," added Jungmann.
"Popular will is sovereign" and the Honduran ballot was "normal, transparent," added the Congress member.
Meantime the Rio de Janeiro O Globo published in its cover that "Brazil could reconsider its position on Honduras," following the Sunday announcement not to recognize the Honduran election.
Brazil cut all relations with the Honduras de-facto government immediately following the June 28 coup, when president Zelaya was ousted and is now under protection in the Brazilian embassy.
Garcia admitted that the "if the government considers it has to change its position, it will do so,,,we need to consider the latest events."
However Garcia said that Brazil has not yet reviewed its position and reiterated that "we do not recognize Sunday's election results."
During the Ibero-American summit in Portugal, Garcia who accompanied Lula argued that "there was a coup and the elections were used to a great extent to legitimize the coup."
Zelaya Wants Rejection
Manuel Zelaya, the ousted Honduran president, sent a letter to Latin American leaders asking them to reject elections held under the de-facto regime that ordered his arrest and forced exile to Costa Rica June 28.
"I ask you not to recognize the electoral fraud and for your cooperation so that this military coup does not go unpunished," Zelaya said in a letter released from the Brazilian Embassy, where he is holed up since he sneaked back to Tegucigalpa in September.
Honduras Sunday presidential election has divided Latin American countries. While a few of them support the United States initiative to recognize the ballot if held under democratic guarantees, which seems to be the case, the rest, led by Brazil, argue that under no circumstances will they accept elections results held under a de facto government born out of a coup.
The US further argues that the controversial election must be seen as "a first step out of the five month crisis" in Honduras.
Conservative Porfirio Lobo has been accepted as the winner of the Sunday election by all candidates including Elvin Santos from Zelaya's Liberal party. Lobo is a member of Honduras' traditional ruling elite and narrowly lost the last presidential election to Zelaya in 2005.
The Brazilian president warned Tuesday that cooperating with Lobo would pose a "serious threat" to democracy in Latin America.
Lobo says he will seek to form a national unity government in an attempt to overcome deep rifts in the impoverished and polarized nation.
But top Zelaya aide Carlos Reina, who left the Brazilian embassy earlier, said Lobo had not made any attempt to talk to Zelaya – who was ousted after critics said he acted against the constitution and tried to illegally extend term limits.
Zelaya "accepts no dialogue with the de-facto government which aims to whitewash the coup," Reina added. "The elections have to be canceled."
The Honduran Congress is expected to vote this week on the reinstatement of Zelaya, which is part of an agreement brokered in October by the US and the Organization of American States, OAS. However the controversy was if the vote had to be taken before or after the election.
Some observers see Zelaya's reinstatement as a possible way out of the crisis, and a way to add legitimacy to Lobo's presidency. Lobo is scheduled to be sworn in as Honduras next president January 27.
Mercopress
