Kamala Harris to Attend Inauguration of New Honduras President With Anti-Semitic Ties
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day from the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on January 17, 2022 in Washington, DC. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Harris' remarks were live-streamed to the invitation-only Martin Luther King, Jr. Beloved Community Service happening at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on what would have been the civil rights leader's 93rd birthday. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to attend Thursday's inauguration of new Honduras' president Xiomara Castro, who is a socialist.

According to Daily Mail, Castro belongs to a circle that has made "problematic statements" about Jewish people and Israel.

U.S. officials said on Wednesday that the visit to Honduras would provide a chance to deepen the relationship with the Latin American nation and make progress in addressing the factors behind migration.

President Joe Biden tapped Harris to tackle the root causes of migration in the country. Since then, the vice president has made rounds of visits to Central America, particularly those countries in the Northern Triangle region.

In December, Kamala Harris announced $1.2 billion in private-sector commitments to support Latin American nations' economies and social infrastructure.

Among the new initiatives include Nespresso's support for coffee-growing in Honduras and El Salvador, while Microsoft committed to connecting millions of people to the internet.

According to NBC News, Mastercard made a $100 million commitment to the region to promote digital payments and e-commerce.

Honduras' President-Elect Xiomara Castro

Xiomara Castro's efforts to deliver a fresh start in Honduras could be overshadowed by old comments made by her husband, running mate, and running mate's wife.

Castro's husband was the former president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, who claimed that after the country's 2009 coup, "Israeli mercenaries" were torturing him with high-frequency radiation.

Castro's running mate, Salvador Nasralla, commented as well. Nasralla said in a debate that Jews control the global money supply, Fox News reported.

On the other hand, Nasralla's wife gave an apology to the Latin American Jewish Congress after she said in an interview that "Hitler was a great leader."

Former U.S. Ambassador to Honduras Lisa Kubiske said that Castro's presidency should establish "an enormous opportunity for Honduras."

Kubiske said that Castro's win was really solid, a record turnout. She added that the voters in Honduras really wanted change. She noted that the problems in Honduras had affected other countries, including the United States.

Jason Marczak, senior director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council, said Harris' leadership of the said delegation is important, according to Border Report.

Marczak added that Castro's office turned Honduras into a potential very willing partner to a wider U.S. strategic engagement.

Kamala Harris and Root Causes of Migration

In July, Kamala Harris released an outline of how she would address the root causes of migration amid the surge of U.S.-Mexico border crossings.

The plan does not include a specific timeline or policy actions to be taken. However, it noted several pillars that it would address, such as economic insecurity and inequality, fight against corruption, and strengthening democratic governance, among others, according to The Hill.

The migration strategy also includes stabilizing populations, improving and expanding temporary labor programs, and expanding access to legal pathways for protection and opportunities to the U.S.

In June, Kamala Harris visited Guatemala and Mexico as part of her initiative to address the root causes of migration.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

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