Honduras Threatens to Expel U.S. Troops Over Mass Deportations
In an unprecedented move, Honduras’ President Xiomara Castro has warned that she could expel U.S. troops from a military base in her country if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his campaign promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
Speaking in a radio and television address on Wednesday, Castro said, "In the face of a hostile policy of mass deportations of our brothers, we would have to consider a change in our cooperation policies with the United States, especially in the military field."
The base in question, built decades ago, is one of several U.S. military installations in Central America. Castro emphasized that the U.S. has maintained these bases without paying a cent for years.
This stern warning comes as foreign ministers from the region are set to meet later this month to discuss the potential impact of Trump’s immigration policies on the region.
Castro’s statement marks the first concrete opposition from a regional leader to Trump’s immigration plans, which include building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and deporting up to 11 million undocumented immigrants.
The fate of the U.S. military presence in Honduras and other Central American countries could now hang in the balance, pending the incoming administration’s immigration policies.
