National News

Honduras's manufacturing industry grew 1.5% in the first quarter of 2026, reversing a 3.0% contraction in the prior quarter, driven by increased demand for food and beverages including processed coffee, fish, oils, flour, and bakery products.

Gross domestic product expanded 1.2% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the previous quarter, the strongest first-quarter growth in recent years and well above the 0.1% recorded in late 2025, signaling moderate economic acceleration.

A court replaced pretrial detention with less restrictive measures for former judge Marco Antonio Vallecillo, accused of extortion, after the Constitutional Court found due-process violations; he must remain in Honduras, report regularly to court, and avoid contact with co-defendants.

Foreign direct investment in Honduras dropped 27% in the first six months of 2026 to $213 million, about $80 million less than the same period last year, the Central Bank confirmed.

Agriculture Minister Moisés Molina announced a six-month health emergency for highly pathogenic avian influenza in backyard poultry, enabling rapid inspections and containment measures across commercial farms and small holdings; the government says chicken and egg production will continue normally.

Honduras will send 1,000 workers to Spain in 2026 under a circular migration program coordinated with Spain, Guatemala, and the Inter-American Development Bank, up from over 800 Honduran agricultural workers placed in 2025, with formal contracts and a 97% return rate.

Agricultural production in Honduras declined 3.6% in the first quarter of 2026, reversing 2025's gains, driven mainly by drops in grain and coffee crops.

Spain will resume exporting pork to Honduras under national health controls and monitoring protocols, as Honduran pork producers watch how the reopened market develops.

Honduras's electric utility regulator approved a third rate increase for 2026 effective July 1, expected to raise bills 5–10% through September, pushing year-to-date increases to nearly 15% amid inflation above target and lempira depreciation.

Honduras's Supreme Court assigned Walter Miranda Sabio as the judge to handle cases involving former officials and ex-presidents under investigation in the so-called Pandora II corruption probe, following standard procedures for cases involving people with special legal status.

Honduras's Health Ministry convened national and international specialists with the Pan American Health Organization and UNICEF to strengthen early-warning systems and disease surveillance using a "One Health" approach that links human, animal, and environmental health.

Honduras's net foreign reserves have accumulated $1.124 billion since January 27, the Central Bank reported, with import coverage holding steady at 6.6 months.

Police say the homicide rate fell to 11.74 per 100,000 in the first six months of 2026, with 103 municipalities reporting zero killings, though experts urge independent verification and note femicides remain high at around 135 cases.

Honduras's air-defense capabilities depend on an experimental radar developed by Defense University engineering students, covering a 100-kilometer radius, after Israeli-purchased radars installed in 2013–2014 failed to function.

Twenty-one staple foods including butter, cheese, pasta, and beef ribs have fallen in price following five consecutive weeks of fuel reductions, as the Economy Ministry pushes over 16 industries to pass savings to consumers.

Housing Secretary Francis Argeñal said 75% of Honduras's population lacks access to bank credit, prompting the government to develop a national financial-inclusion plan and subsidy policy for housing projects.

Former President Juan Orlando Hernández, pardoned after a US conviction, will return to Honduras on July 31, but the Prosecutor's Office — which in 2022 cited alleged financial and corporate ties to drug traffickers when seizing his assets — never converted that allegation into criminal charges.

The Asfura administration briefed leaders of the Evangelical Confraternity of Honduras on its proposed energy-sector restructuring bill; Criterio.hn, a critical outlet, reports that opponents argue the measure amounts to privatization of ENEE and would ultimately drive up electricity prices for consumers.

Former president Juan Orlando Hernández will return to Honduras in August 2026 to appear before the Supreme Court of Justice as part of ongoing judicial proceedings against him.

The Central Bank auctioned $95.6 million in its June 29 foreign-exchange sale, setting the weighted average exchange rate at L26.7183 per dollar for June 30.

Honduras's banking regulator (CNBS) unveiled a five-year National Financial Inclusion Strategy (2025–2030) aimed at expanding access to formal financial services for women, youth, rural communities, small businesses, elderly people, and indigenous and Afro-Caribbean populations.

The national human-rights commissioner called on the Honduran government to provide immediate assistance to victims of internal forced displacement before they are compelled to seek international protection by crossing borders.

Honduras faces tropical waves bringing rain and a return of Saharan dust this week, according to the national disaster agency Copeco.

A judge ordered Willian Fabricio Acuña Ramírez held in pretrial detention on charges of two counts of aggravated sexual assault against protected witnesses, with a preliminary hearing set for July 21.

A judge ordered Osmán Adalid Carrasco García held in pretrial detention on suspicion of murdering Joel López, with a preliminary hearing set for July 21.

An energy analyst at the ASJ warns that Honduras's next power-rate adjustment could increase due to rising fuel prices and the country's heavy reliance on fossil-fuel generation, citing a lack of competitive bidding that has forced ENEE to rely on costly spot-market contracts.

Honduras's Supreme Court approved a procedural protocol to speed up the return of children illegally taken out of or brought into the country, implementing the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction that Honduras ratified in 1993.

The International Monetary Fund's board approved Honduras's fourth and fifth program reviews, unlocking a $242 million disbursement and bringing total IMF funding to $725 million of a $847 million package, though the IMF flagged missed targets on electrical utility arrears and urged faster energy-sector reform.

The state power utility ENEE will cut electricity to neighborhoods across El Paraíso, Santa Bárbara, Cortés, and Yoro on July 1 for scheduled maintenance, with outages scheduled for various windows throughout the day.

Security Minister Gerson Velásquez confirmed that former president Juan Orlando Hernández will receive state protection as an ex-chief executive after the Supreme Court suspended his arrest warrant, allowing him to voluntarily appear before a judge to face pending criminal charges.