ABSTRACT
Honduran politics is a history of dictatorship, tempered by anarchy and ameliorated by corruption. In the 155 years between independence and 1994, there have been 129 different governments and 14 constitutions. Moreover, the more one learns about Honduran political culture the more one is struck by its surrealistic qualities. Problems of poverty and social injustice continued to be as serious as anywhere else in the hemisphere—with the exception of Haiti, which was in a class by itself. Social unrest and repression were growing, and US policy seemed aimed more at keeping the lid on the pressure cooker than at addressing the causes of the trouble. Most disturbing, US policies seemed to be aggravating Honduran problems. The creation within Honduras of a veritable state within a state, composed of thousands of armed Nicaraguan exiles was ominous. Increasingly, Hondurans began to worry that the rebels might turn on them should they become frustrated by their inability to overthrow the Sandinistas.
