_-_copia.jpg?w=800&resize=800,500&ssl=1 "Xiomara Castro y Juan Orlando Hernández")
Even though there are political and ideological disparities between the administrations of Xiomara Castro and Juan Orlando Hernández, they both have encountered comparable issues regarding corruption, connections to organized crime, and challenges in achieving institutional transparency, emphasizing the persistence of dubious practices within the nation.
Difficulties in anti-corruption mechanisms
During Hernández’s administration, the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH), backed by the OAS, was withdrawn in 2020, leaving significant gaps in the investigation and punishment of irregularities. At the same time, the government of Xiomara Castro has promoted the creation of the International Commission against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (CICIH), which currently operates under the supervision of the Public Ministry, without sufficient powers to effectively prosecute corruption cases. These limitations reflect a structural pattern that hinders institutional action against administrative and financial irregularities.
Connections to criminal organizations
Both governments have reported connections with drug trade and money laundering operations. During the time of Castro’s administration, the Security Secretariat led by Gustavo Sánchez agreed to contracts valued at over 10 million lempiras with a firm associated with laundering money from drug trafficking. Under Hernández’s leadership, he is presently subject to legal proceedings in the United States concerning drug trafficking matters. These instances highlight ongoing challenges associated with the penetration of organized crime into state operations.
Transparency and management of public funds
The Hernández regime was characterized by centralized and secretive management of state information. Although to a lesser extent, the Castro administration has also faced criticism for deficiencies in the control and execution of public funds, affecting transparency and accountability. Recent allegations of illicit campaign financing and the dissemination of so-called “narcovideos” show that problems of oversight and control remain.
Ongoing issues of legal and administrative corruption
Both governments have failed in the execution of state resources and the application of justice. Effective punishment of those responsible for irregularities remains limited, which undermines public confidence in institutions. Progress in the fight against corruption has been minimal and, in some cases, there have been setbacks, reflecting the complexity of transforming entrenched structures of impunity.
Inherited challenges and continuity of practices
Xiomara Castro’s administration took office in a context marked by corrupt networks consolidated during the previous administration, which has limited the implementation of profound changes. The continuity of corruption cases, coupled with the emergence of new scandals, highlights the difficulty of breaking historical patterns and reinforces the perception of persistent irregularities in public administration.
A study contrasting the two governments reveals that, despite their differing rhetoric and ideologies, the fundamental issues of corruption, organized crime, and shortcomings in transparency persist. People note that the vowed transformations have not been completely established, sustaining challenges in governance and confidence in institutions in Honduras.
