[ad_1]
Tegucigalpa – The government abolished a migration agreement with Honduras’ main Christian church that had facilitated the arrival of priests and pastors, as well as a key Adventist social aid agency, into the country.
The Facilitation Agreement was abolished by the government of Siomara Zelaya, through the Ministry of the Interior and Justice, through Agreement No. 158-2024, approved on February 21, 2024 and published in La Gaceta on May 30 of this year. The Catholic Church, the Evangelical Fellowship of Honduras, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as Mormons) and the Adventist Church all celebrated the “transmigration”.
The aforementioned Agreement No. 158-2024 provides that the agreement signed with the Catholic Church was ratified on October 25, 2025 through Agreement No. 60-2005, while the agreement signed with the Evangelical Union is covered by the instrument signed on March 31, 2011, the same day that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints signed on September 7, 2011 with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The agreement provides that immigration facilities are a special measure granted to “qualified immigrants based on national interest” under the Immigration Act.
Christian churches often use these agreements to facilitate the entry of priests, ministers, and officials into their social action missions, as in the case of the Adventists.
Likewise, it is stipulated that the National Institute of Migration (INM) must resolve and approve “agreements concluded with associations duly registered in the countries it deems appropriate”.
The government’s legal documents emphasise that future agreements will correspond to the INM and will be signed in accordance with immigration policy.Entry or exit of persons, the latter as non-resident aliens, permanent residence in Honduran territorystill belongs to a religious association officially registered in the country.” (PD).
[ad_2]
Source link
