Rev. Kyle Meyaard-Schaap
Executive Director, ASJ-US
Defending Honduran Democracy in Washington D.C.
June 27, 2025
Honduran civil society works together for fair elections in 2025
On June 16, after some flight delays and frustration, a group of powerful Honduran leaders were in Washington, D.C. ready to advocate for their country. They included the head of the largest university in Honduras, the President and Vice President of the Honduran equivalent of the Chamber of Commerce, a representative of the Archbishop of Tegucigalpa and the head of the Protestant Church of Honduras, a nationally-renowned journalist, and leaders from ASJ-Honduras and ASJ-US.
We were there for one simple purpose: to raise awareness about Honduras’ upcoming election on November 30, and to ask for support in ensuring a free, fair, and transparent election.
Over two days, we met with representatives from the State Department, three Senate offices, three House offices, and more than 10 NGOs.
Here’s what we learned:
List of Services
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Washington is paying attention to Honduras:List Item 1
Across all of our meetings, we consistently heard that officials are aware of the risks posed by the ruling government to a free and fair election and are committed to advocating for a transparent process. This includes election observer missions from the Department of State and the Organization of American States.
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There is a bipartisan bill in the works to support the Honduran election:List Item 2
Some of the Congressional offices we met with shared with us that they were working on language for a bipartisan bill to provide funding for election observing this fall in Honduras, and sanctions if the process proves to be irregular. This was news to our group, and a huge encouragement. Yesterday, the bill was introduced in the House of Representatives.We will share more information about this bill in the days ahead, including how you can use your voice to support it.
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Powerful electoral observation is within reach:List Item 3
The Network to Defend Democracy–the alliance being led by ASJ and represented by these leaders–is working to recruit thousands of volunteer election observers to ensure a fair election in November. Our group spent time learning from experts about a powerful electoral observation methodology that uses statistical analysis to accurately project election results. We will be implementing this methodology in November to provide good data on election night and in the days after to ensure that the will of the Honduran people will be honored.
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Your voice made a difference:List Item 4
Almost 200 of our supporters signed a letter in support of the delegation’s visit. At each meeting, we hand-delivered this letter to staff. Each time, they were surprised to learn about the depth of support for Honduras from our ASJ community here in the US and enthusiastic to receive the letter.
This won’t be our last visit to DC before the November elections, nor will it be the last chance for you to add your voice to our efforts to advocate for a fair process free from manipulation. If you’d like to be the first to know about future advocacy opportunities, you can sign up for our advocacy mailing list:
Onward,
J ustice seekers from Canada, the US, and Honduras commit to working together
Choosing defiant hope over fear.
Earlier this month, The Banner published a story written by Our Shared Ministr y by Karina Guevara and Elmer Salinas . The authors showcase the work that ASJ-Honduras is doing to help and support students in Honduras. Karina and Elmer tell the story of Genesis Garcia, an 8-year-old, whose family struggles to find consistent jobs. "Genesis Garcia Baquedano is 8 years old and lives with her older brother, Anderson, and their parents in Honduras. Her parents work hard to support their family. Genesis’s father is a painter who struggles to find consistent work, and her mother is a street vendor who spends long hours away from home." According to Karina and Elmer, although Genesis is a good student, she was struggling with reading, writing, and math. This is where the ASJ-Hondurans' program, Strong Communities , comes to be a blessing. "Through God’s grace, Genesis and her family were able to join the Strong Communities program facilitated by World Renew’s local partner, Association for a More Just Society (ASJ, because the Spanish translation is Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa). Through the program, Genesis attended academic support sessions, where she impressed her tutors with her perseverance and enthusiasm. Now, Genesis’s teachers praise the program for the significant progress Genesis has been making at school." We are blessed to be able to help kids like Genesis and her family to be able to achieve their dreams and goals. You can read the full story HERE and learn more about the ASJ-Honduras Strong communities program HERE
Highlights from our 25th Anniversary Celebration in Grand Rapids, MI
MY EMPTY VILLAGE / HOW IMMIGRATION AFFECTS A COMMUNITY (by Sara Pineda)
Young Hondurans have stepped up for democracy (by Blanca Stephanie Elvir)
Reflecting on 25 years of seeking justice together (by Jo Ann Van Engen)
From the Executive Director
What does paused international aid mean for ASJ?
Something Worth Waiting For
