Honduras' economy hurt by political crisis

• Source: Xinhua
• [14:06 July 22 2009]
• Comments

Honduras' deteriorating political crisis has badly hit the country's economy, said Amilcar Bulnes, head of the Honduran Council of Private Business, on Tuesday.

In the capital city of Tegucigalpa alone, the economic losses caused by the impact of the political turmoil have reached about 1 billion lempiras (some 52.6 million U.S. dollars), according to Bulnes.

The Honduran Chamber of Tourism estimated that the losses in the country's tourism sector could reach about 50 million dollars per month.

Bulnes said the "misinformation" on the situation of Honduras has stopped tourists, mainly Salvadorians, from visiting the country.

Many hotels in some major cities like San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba are practically empty, said Bulnes.

The commerce and service sectors in Honduras have also been hurt by the curfew imposed by the interim government as well as the highway blockades by supporters of the deposed leader Manuel Zelaya.

Bulnes said suspension of the international aid is another factor affecting the country's economy, but Honduras is capable of dealing with the current situation.

Honduras has been plunged into its biggest political crisis in decades since Zelaya was toppled and whisked to Costa Rica in the June 28 military coup.

Zelaya has said he would do whatever to return to Honduras, while the interim government said his reinstatement was out of the question.