Tegucigalpa, August 5 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Honduran lawmakers shot down the possibility of creating an International Commission on Corruption on Monday, despite weekly popular protests over the past three months to demand such a body. 

They voted 66-55 to approve a proposal by a special legislative commission requesting Congress not create this anti-impunity body.

While a majority of 86 votes was required to approve the creation of such a commission, the proposal did not even receive the support of a simple majority.  Lawmakers from the governing and conservative National Party, the Christian Democrats and the Democratic Unification voted against, while divisions appeared in the opposition Libre Party of former President Manuel Zelaya and the Liberal Party, as several lawmakers in each party didn’t support the commission.

The Anti-Corruption party, which emerged in 2012 against the two traditional parties, was the only one to vote consistently in favor of establishing the commission.

According to the Law of Citizen Participation, a super majority is required for bills dealing with constitutional issues – an international commission, for instance, would have constitutional attributions exceeding the authority of the Public Ministry.

But the special commission justified its refusal, arguing that an international commission was “unnecessary” as the executive branch had already made a decision on the issue – refusing the commission and proposing a “national dialogue” on corruption instead.  Moreover, judicial authorities of the country are already working on measures to reduce corruption and impunity in the country.  Finally, the proposal of a seven-month delay to set up a national referendum on the commission was too unrealistic and costly, said the statement, quoting an opinion from electoral authorities of the country.

The initiative was presented by Libre leader Manuel Zelaya along with 10 other lawmakers on July 15th.  A national commission had already been set up to address the issue, but a recent report issued in June found that it significantly failed in its task.

Liberal lawmaker and member of the commission Beatriz Valle said that from the beginning its members did not show any political will to carry out a popular referendum, especially since the electoral authorities issued a report estimating a high price for the referendum.