Honduras signs up to Chavez-led bloc

Your Aug. 26th article, “Honduras signs up to Chavez-led bloc,” ignores salient economic factors and portrays Honduras’ move to join Venezuela-sponsored ALBA as solely politically driven. Although it is true that many regional leaders, including the Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, see ALBA as a revolt against imperialism-especially against the domination of the United States, the motivation was also economically driven. As one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, Honduras does not receive sufficient foreign aid. After prominent international lending institutions like the World Bank turned down the country’s request for aid, ALBA and President Chavez’s checkbook apparently opened a window for Honduras. Faced with an opportunity for significant financial aid and a guaranteed supply of subsidized oil, it was only practical for President Zelaya to join.