Security, Integration, OAS Topics of C.A. Summit

TEGUCIGALPA (EFE) – HonduranPresident Ricardo Maduro this weekannounced that the issues of regionalsecurity, Central American integration andsupport for a common candidate for secretarygeneral of Organization of AmericanStates (OAS) will be the top agenda itemsduring the upcoming Central AmericanPresidents’ summit in the Honduran capitallater this month.In the area of integration, Maduro saidhe is going to propose that all CentralAmericans switch to a common CentralAmerican passport, similar to the commonpassport used by members of theEuropean Union.For the OAS, Maduro is still unwillingto vote as a bloc with the rest of CentralAmerica.Honduras is the only CentralAmerican country to not support the OAScandidacy of former Salvadoran PresidentFrancisco Flores. Honduras is backing itsown candidate, its former ForeignMinister Carlos López.Other candidates include Mexico’sformer Foreign Minister, Luis ErnestoDerbez, and Chile’s Minister of theInterior, José Miguel Insulza.The top OAS post has been vacantsince October, when former Costa RicanPresident Miguel Angel Rodríguezstepped down – after a month in office –in the midst of a corruption scandal.The United States has agreed to supporta Central American candidate toreplace Rodríguez.