UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000006
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, SOCI, HO
SUBJECT: HONDURAN FOREIGN MINISTER MILTON JIMENEZ REMAINS
IN POSITION DESPITE DRUNK DRIVING ARREST
1. (U) Despite press reports to the contrary, Honduran
Foreign Minister Milton Jimenez remains in his position
according to a diplomatic note sent to the Embassy and other
foreign missions accredited to Honduras on January 4, 2008.
The press initially reported that President Manuel "Mel"
Zelaya had accepted an "irrevocable" resignation from his
Foreign Minister. According to the President's private
secretary, Raul Valladares, the resignation followed the
SIPDIS
Foreign Minister's drunk driving arrest on December 30, 2007.
It was even rumored in the press that Jimenez would take
over for Enrique Flores Lanza as Legal Advisor to the
President. A small crowd of political activists, protesting
on behalf of Jimenez at the Foreign Affairs Ministry,
increased in size in front of the Presidential Palace and may
have influenced the President to keep Jimenez in his current
position.
2. (SBU) Jimenez was arrested in the early morning hours of
December 30, for drunk driving in Tegucigalpa and was taken
to police headquarters where he scuffled with police. A
police video of a portion of the fight appeared on
YouTube.com and was played on local TV in which the Foreign
Minister physically attacked an officer before he was
subdued. According to Minister of Security Alvaro Romero,
Jimenez tried to conceal his identity during the initial
arrest. Jimenez admitted his poor conduct in a press
conference on January 3 but complained that the police were
abusive and non-democratic. He then appeared on the evening
news with a black eye and showed bruises on both arms. The
press knew about the Foreign Minister's arrest but did not
report it until the video appeared on the internet.
3. (SBU) Post suspects that President Zelaya may have
encouraged the protestors in order to have an excuse to keep
Jimenez as Foreign Minister for now. The President is
expected to announce changes to his cabinet on January 7, as
he already had requested provisional resignations from all
his cabinet members in November 2007.
WILLIARD