Thousands of supporters of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez packed the National Stadium in the capital Tegucigalpa on Saturday as he took the oath to begin his second term in office.

Calling for unity, he told a special session of Congress that had been arranged at the venue that he would "carry out a process of reconciliation among all Hondurans."

Ceremony and protest

Just a few hundreds meters away, Hernandez was given a stark reminder of the bitter opposition to his re-election, as the noisy supporters of his political opponents were prevented from getting close to the inauguration.

Read more: Banning child marriage, Honduras leads Americas and EU

Honduras remains in political crisis following the 49-year-old head of state's win in the November 26 election, which his opponents claim he stole. Hernandez stood for re-election despite a constitutional ban on presidents serving more than one term.

Opponents of Hernandez have vowed to maintain their protest movement until he is forced from office

During the vote count, which lasted three weeks and often interrupted, Hernandez looked set to be swept from office before a sudden shift in the results took victory away from his center-left rival, Salvador Nasralla.

The disputed election result sparked violent protests that killed more than 30 people.

International observers complained of irregularities and Honduras' neighbors in the Organization of American States (OAS) called for the election to be re-run, but eventually said they would work with Hernandez' government.

The result, which was eventually ratified by the Honduran electoral tribunal, has also received Washington's backing.

Read more: Opinion: Honduras crisis was long in the making

Tear gas used on protesters

On Saturday, soldiers and police deployed tear gas to block thousands of demonstrators from reaching the national stadium to protest the inauguration.

Several rings of soldiers and police, brought in from around the country, protected the venue.

Protesters tried but failed to get close to the National Stadium, where Hernandez' swearing in ceremony took place

Saturday's opposition rally concluded a week of protests that included Nasralla, on Friday evening, leading a convoy of hundreds of honking vehicles carrying his flag-waving supporters through the streets of the capital.

The opposition leader continued to call for new elections on Saturday, insisting that the protest movement would "force the dictator to step down."

Seen as a business-friendly president who has boosted economic growth, Hernandez has pledged to maintain a hardline strategy in his fight against the country's gangs, which has helped curb the murder rate, despite human rights groups' allegations of abuses.

Much of the impoverished Central American country is terrorized by gang violence, driving tens of thousands of people a year to flee abroad, including to the US.

mm/es (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)</s>TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras—The inauguration was held at 9 a.m. local time at a soccer stadium. Until the day before, no one was sure where the ceremony would take place. No heads of state were invited. Most reporters weren’t allowed in.

Outside, protesters battled with riot police, who were on hand to assure that Juan Orlando Hernández was able to take office for a second term as president of Honduras—a historic first for the country where re-election had been banned for decades.</s>The ex-presidential hopeful called on people to gather around the location of the event to prevent the president from assuming his "fraudulent" new term.Salvador Nasralla, the former Honduran presidential candidate for the Opposition Alliance against the Dictatorship, said Friday that the "last chance" to prevent current President Juan Orlando Hernandez from acquiring a new term was Saturday, when he is expected to be sworn-in, because his re-election was carried out with "fraud".The new Honduran Congress held its first session Thursday, which the opposition protested and said was also void because the elections were fraudulent. Hernandez will be sworn-in in front of the country's newly elected lawmakers Saturday.But the the former candidate said the inauguration of the incumbent president will only be attended by 67 of the 128 lawmakers as members of his party and those of the Liberal Party will be absent in protest. Most of the attending deputies, 61, will be from the president's own right-wing National Party.Nasralla also said if people start gathering in the surroundings of the National Stadium, one location where the swearing-in is expected to happen, from the early hours of the morning, they could subdue the army securing the event and prevent Hernandez from being sworn in.Nasralla will be leading the protest in Tegucigalpa against the president's inauguration because he "is a person that the people did not choose." Few hours before the event, there was no official confirmation of its location, whether it would be at the National Stadium, where it is traditionally held, or at the Central Bank.Hernandez has proposed a national dialogue but Nasralla and the Liberal Party have so far refused to participate. Nasrallah argued that for such talks to take place it should be mediated by an independent international mediator whose decisions must be binding by a Honduran parliamentary decree.Therefore if the dialogue broker decides that Hernandez is the president then he can continue in power, if it decides that new elections must be held then people must go to the polls again, and if it concludes that Nasralla is the president then he must assume take office, the former presidential hopeful further explained.The anti-government convoy in the capital Saturday will also be led by the general coordinator of the Opposition Alliance, former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya.Aside from the fact that it took almost a month for the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to announce the results of the Nov. 26 presidential election, the opposition's main concern about the results came after Hernandez began to pull ahead after an hours-long technical problem caused the TSE system to "go down".</s>Tegucigalpa: President Juan Orlando Hernandez has been sworn in for a new term in the Honduran capital, while across town tear gas drifted across flaming barricades in clashes between police and protesters angry over an election the say was marred by fraud.

The head of Congress on Saturday put the blue-and-white sash of office on Hernandez in the morning ceremony in Tegucigalpa, and the president promised in an address "to begin a process of reconciliation to unite the Honduran family." The inauguration came after soldiers and riot police fired tear gas to block thousands of demonstrators from marching to the National Stadium to protest. Masked protesters shot rocks from slingshots and kicked canisters back toward security forces as barricades burned and gas billowed on the streets.

"This is how the dictator oppresses his people," said opposition presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla, who says the election was stolen and he was the true winner of the vote. "We remain in the struggle to rescue the country from dictatorship and without recognising Hernandez as president," Nasralla told The Associated Press.

Hernandez, a 49-year-old lawyer, is Honduras' first president to be re-elected, a key point in the protests against him. The 1982 constitution bars presidents from seeking a new term and conservative politicians deposed a leftist president in 2009 for allegedly even considering re-election. But Hernandez won a Supreme Court ruling in 2015 to get around that prohibition.

Early, pre-dawn returns the morning after the 26 November election showed Nasralla with a significant lead with 57 percent of the votes counted. Then election authorities all but stopped giving public updates on the count. Following days of delays and computer problems, the trend reversed itself, and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal reported that Hernandez had an edge of about 1.5 per cent in the final count.

The ensuing political crisis has wracked the Central American nation, with at least 31 people killed in the unrest, according to the National Human Rights Commission. Opposition leaders put the toll at 41.</s>TEGUCIGALPA: Juan Orlando Hernandez was sworn in as president of Honduras for a second term Saturday amid protests that he fraudulently won the November election.

Hernandez took the oath at a special session of Congress at the National Stadium, with the bleachers packed with his supporters.

At the event, in which he vowed to "comply with and enforce the Constitution and law," the 49 year-old Hernandez said he was "committed to developing a process of reconciliation among all Hondurans."

Supporters of defeated opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla however accuse Hernandez of setting up a "military dictatorship," and insist that the election was stolen.

Hernandez stood for re-election against Nasralla despite a constitutional ban on presidents serving more than one term.

He narrowly won only after a three-week stretch of often-interrupted ballot counting that stoked tensions and sparked accusations of fraud.

The leftist opposition held protest actions that shook the country throughout the week, culminating in a mass rally in Tegucigalpa late Friday.

On Saturday, however, protesters could get only within 500 meters of the inauguration event.

The stadium was protected by several rings soldiers and police, who were pressed into duty from around the country.

In the Miraflores neighborhood protesters hurled rocks at a bus full of Hernandez supporters. Elsewhere, police used tear gas to break up protests.

"The protests do not end today, this will be permanent," Nasralla told reporters, as he called for new elections.

- Siege city -

 Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds jailed since Hernandez was declared the winner of the November 26 run-off election.

Late Friday Nasralla led a convoy of hundreds of honking vehicles carrying his flag-waving supporters through the streets of Tegucigalpa.

"I hope that the international community finally starts to realize and that sooner than later, within the next weeks, it will force the dictator to step down," Nasralla said during the demonstration.

Protesters chanted his name and called "out JOH," using Hernandez's initials.

"We came to tell JOH that we don't recognize him as our president," said one demonstrator, identifying herself only as Silvany.

Political scientist Juan Ramon Medrano said earlier that the Honduran government "is showing signs of dictatorship."

"In Honduras there is a political crisis" that the United States and the Organization of American States regional bloc "do not measure with the same yardstick as they measure Venezuela," he said.

Washington and the OAS have been highly critical of Venezuela's leftist regime.

Market analyst group Eurasia said the demonstrations "will likely diminish after Hernandez's inauguration."

"Still, Hernandez will begin his second term in a much weaker position given the social component, with his legitimacy in question," it said in a note ahead of the inauguration.

The OAS had proposed holding new elections after its observer mission expressed doubts about the outcome.

However it recently said it intends to "work in the future with the elected authorities of Honduras."

- US backing -

 Guatemalan political scientist Renso Rosal told AFP the Honduran political crisis could have wider regional repercussions.

The spark that set off the crisis was Hernandez's "unconstitutional action in seeking reelection."

Hernandez has implicit backing from the United States, which is pouring millions of dollars into Honduras and neighboring Guatemala and El Salvador to help improve security.

The three countries, collectively known as Central America's "Northern Triangle," are an significant source of undocumented migrants heading to the United States, and are also key in the fight against drug trafficking.

On the eve of the Hernandez's inauguration it emerged that his newly appointed police chief, Jose David Aguilar Moran, would be investigated by a government commission after reports that he had helped a drug cartel ship cocaine to the United States in 2013.

Commission head Omar Rivera told reporters Aguilar Moran and two subordinates would undergo a "re-evaluation process" following the news reports alleging their involvement in helping drug traffickers.</s>TEGUCIGALPA: Juan Orlando Hernandez was sworn in as president of Honduras for a second term Saturday (Sunday in Manila) amid protests that he fraudulently won the November election. Hernandez took the oath at a special session of Congress at the National Stadium, with the bleachers packed with his supporters. At the event, in which he vowed to “comply with and enforce the Constitution and law,” the 49-year-old Hernandez said he was “committed to developing a process of reconciliation among all Hondurans.” Hernandez takes on his new mandate in the impoverished Central American country of nine million with diminished legitimacy due to the controversial election. Supporters of defeated opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla accuse him of setting up a “military dictatorship,” and insist that the election was stolen. Hernandez stood for re-election against Nasralla despite a constitutional ban on presidents serving more than one term. He narrowly won after a three-week stretch of often-interrupted ballot counting that sparked accusations of fraud. The leftist opposition staged protests that shook the country throughout the week, culminating in a mass rally in Tegucigalpa late Friday.</s>Juan Orlando Hernandez was sworn in as president of Honduras for a second term Saturday amid protests that he fraudulently won the November election.

Hernandez took the oath at a special session of Congress at the National Stadium, with the bleachers packed with his supporters.

At the event, in which he vowed to “comply with and enforce the Constitution and law,” the 49-year-old Hernandez said he was “committed to developing a process of reconciliation among all Hondurans.”

Hernandez takes over as president of the impoverished Central American country of nine million with diminished legitimacy due to the controversial election.

Supporters of defeated opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla accuse him of setting up a “military dictatorship,” and insist that the election was stolen.

Hernandez stood for re-election against Nasralla despite a constitutional ban on presidents serving more than one term.

He narrowly won after a three-week stretch of often-interrupted ballot counting that stoked tensions and sparked accusations of fraud.

The leftist opposition staged protests that shook the country throughout the week, culminating in a mass rally in Tegucigalpa late Friday.

On Saturday, however, protesters could get only within 500 meters of the inauguration event.

The stadium was protected by several rings soldiers and police, who were pressed into duty from around the country.

In the capital’s Miraflores neighborhood, protesters hurled rocks at a bus full of Hernandez supporters.

“The protests do not end today, this will be permanent,” Nasralla told reporters, as he called for new elections.

Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds jailed since Hernandez was declared the winner of the November 26 run-off election.

“This is a government that has the seals of the state but has no legitimacy,” said rights activist Berta Oliva.

“It imposes its authority in a savage way with soldiers in the street,” she told AFP, describing the new government as a “dictatorship.”

Late Friday Nasralla led a convoy of hundreds of honking vehicles carrying his flag-waving supporters through the streets of Tegucigalpa.

“I hope that the international community finally starts to realize and that sooner than later, within the next weeks, it will force the dictator to step down,” Nasralla said during the demonstration.

We came to tell Hernandez “that we don’t recognize him as our president,” said one demonstrator, identifying herself only as Silvany.

Political scientist Juan Ramon Medrano has said that the Honduran government “is showing signs of dictatorship.”

“In Honduras there is a political crisis” that the United States and the Organization of American States regional bloc “do not measure with the same yardstick as they measure Venezuela,” he said.

Washington and the OAS have been highly critical of Venezuela’s leftist regime.

“Still, Hernandez will begin his second term in a much weaker position given the social component, with his legitimacy in question,” it said in a note ahead of the inauguration.

However it recently said it intends to “work in the future with the elected authorities of Honduras.”

Hernandez has implicit backing from the United States, which is pouring millions of dollars into Honduras and neighboring Guatemala and El Salvador to help improve security.

The three countries, collectively known as Central America’s “Northern Triangle,” are a significant source of undocumented migrants heading to the United States, and are also key in the fight against drug trafficking.</s>Supporters of defeated opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla accuse him of setting up a 'military dictatorship,' and insist that the election was stolen

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Juan Orlando Hernandez was sworn in as president of Honduras for a second term Saturday, January 27 amid protests that he fraudulently won the November election.

Hernandez took the oath at a special session of Congress at the National Stadium, with the bleachers packed with his supporters.

At the event, in which he vowed to "comply with and enforce the Constitution and law," the 49-year-old Hernandez said he was "committed to developing a process of reconciliation among all Hondurans."

Hernandez takes on his new mandate in the impoverished Central American country of nine million with diminished legitimacy due to the controversial election.

Supporters of defeated opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla accused him of setting up a "military dictatorship," and insist that the election was stolen.

Hernandez stood for re-election against Nasralla despite a constitutional ban on presidents serving more than one term.

He narrowly won after a three-week stretch of often-interrupted ballot counting that sparked accusations of fraud. (READ: Hondurans protest 'fraud' as vote count rolls on)

The leftist opposition staged protests that shook the country throughout the week, culminating in a mass rally in Tegucigalpa late Friday.

On Saturday, however, protesters could get only within 500 meters of the inauguration event.

The stadium was protected by several rings soldiers and police, who were pressed into duty from around the country.

In the capital's Miraflores neighborhood, protesters hurled rocks at a bus full of Hernandez supporters.

"The protests do not end today, this will be permanent," Nasralla told reporters, as he called for new elections.

Police later deployed armored vehicles and fired tear gas at rock-throwing protesters.

About 10,000 protesters marched in Honduras's second city of San Pedro Sula to show their opposition to Hernandez's inauguration.

"The only way we can get this dictator out is to fight in the streets," opposition lawmaker Samuel Madrid, who participated in the march, told Agence France-Presse.

Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds jailed since Hernandez was declared the winner of the November 26 runoff election.

'No legitimacy'

"This is a government that has the seals of the state but has no legitimacy," said rights activist Berta Oliva.

"It imposes its authority in a savage way with soldiers in the street," she told AFP, describing the new government as a "dictatorship."

Political scientist Juan Ramon Medrano has said that the Honduran government "is showing signs of dictatorship." (READ: State of emergency in Honduras after post-vote violence)

"In Honduras, there is a political crisis" that the United States and the Organization of American States regional bloc "do not measure with the same yardstick as they measure Venezuela," he said.

Washington and the OAS have been highly critical of Venezuela's leftist regime.

Market analyst group Eurasia said the demonstrations "will likely diminish after Hernandez's inauguration."

"Still, Hernandez will begin his second term in a much weaker position given the social component, with his legitimacy in question," it said in a note ahead of the inauguration.

The OAS had proposed holding new elections after its observer mission expressed doubts about the outcome.

However, it recently said it intends to "work in the future with the elected authorities of Honduras."

Hernandez has implicit backing from the United States, which is pouring millions of dollars into Honduras and neighboring Guatemala and El Salvador to help improve security.

The three countries, collectively known as Central America's "Northern Triangle," are a significant source of undocumented migrants heading to the United States, and are also key in the fight against drug trafficking. – Rappler.com</s>Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez has been sworn in for a new term amid protests against the November election that was marred by irregularities and allegations of fraud.

The head of Congress put the presidential sash on Hernandez in Saturday morning's ceremony in the capital, Tegucigalpa. The president promised to begin "a process of reconciliation to unite the Honduran family."

Soldiers and police deployed tear gas to block thousands of demonstrators from marching to the national stadium to protest the inauguration.

Opposition presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla told The Associated Press that "this is how the dictator oppresses his people."
President Juan Orlando Hernández Alvarado takes oath of his second presidential term amid protests led by Salvador Nasralla, former candidate for the Alliance of Opposition against the Dictatorship.