Honduran officials protest their inclusion in the Engel List

Qualifying it as an interventionist act, the Honduran government categorically rejected the list of those sanctioned in Central America issued on wednesday by the United States Department of State, the so-called Engel List.

The 15 Honduran officials and former officials named include two vice presidents of the National Congress, Rasel Tomé and Edgardo Casaña, as well as presidential adviser Enrique Flores Lanza.

Tomé responded to the accusations, alleging that “long ago” they told him “that those lists were by order.” “They will never extort me. Today I tell you. This is part of the powers that be,” he added.

The document also mentions 23 judges and prosecutors from Nicaragua16 officials in Guatemala and six officials from El Salvador.

According to political analyst Héctor Serrano, these reactions of rejection “are supporting at the government level and that is going to harm us, since the United States, seeing that there are no actions, comes economic sanctions and the aid is going to be paralyze”.

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, reiterated that these people are accused of significant corruption, which contributes to irregular migration and the destabilization of societies.

“The difference is that of those three (indicated), two have powers and authority to try to discredit the list; it is a mistake”, said Carlos Hernández, director of the NGO ‘Sociedad más justa’.

Those indicated in the Engel List will be denied entry to the United States through the suspension of their visa

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channel Youtube and turn on notifications, or follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.