Browse Honduras Daily Stories

President Asfura blamed widespread blackouts and power rationing on peak-hour demand and fuel shortages at generating plants, while announcing that Congress-approved energy reforms await final review before publication and that roughly 1,500 megawatts will be tendered to stabilize the grid.

Honduras's National Congress and the World Food Programme finalized a technical cooperation agreement to address severe drought affecting over 100 municipalities, targeting immediate food aid and longer-term irrigation and agricultural infrastructure.

Premium gasoline, regular gasoline, diesel, and kerosene prices increased Sept. 7, with diesel climbing L2.46 per gallon to L145.69 (about $5.80) in Tegucigalpa, while domestic cooking gas held steady under government subsidy.

Honduras's official exchange rate climbed to L26.8727 per dollar on September 7, up L0.0077 from Friday, reflecting a slight strengthening of the US currency against the lempira.

Finance Minister Emilio Hernández announced the 2027 budget totals 457 billion lempiras (about $18.3 billion), a 13-billion-lempira increase from 2026, with priority allocations for education, health, security, and defense.

Honduras's new Energy Justice Law temporarily freezes ENEE electricity rates for six months, allows eligible low-income households to seek forgiveness of accumulated debts up to 250 kWh monthly consumption, and creates tax breaks for residential solar-panel systems.

Finance Secretary Emilio Hernández Hércules said the government will send its 2027 budget proposal to Congress on September 14, aiming to maintain a 1.0% fiscal deficit under the Fiscal Responsibility Law and avoid unsustainable debt.

The Agricultural Ministry is rushing to georeference over 50% of Honduras's coffee farms by year-end to meet European traceability standards and secure market access, protecting income for 120,000 farming families as the current harvest approaches 7.3 million quintals (about 330,000 metric tons).

Cohep president Anabel Gallardo called on Congress to pass the long-delayed energy law reform, warning that continued inaction weakens ENEE's governance and could deter investment.

Honduras's official dollar exchange rate climbed to L26.8368 (buy) and L26.9710 (sell) on August 20, continuing a week-long upward trend that has seen the lempira depreciate by roughly L0.009 since Monday.

Honduras received $6.52 billion in remittances in the first six months of 2026, a 12.3% increase from the same period in 2025, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Five staple foods rose in price this week at Tegucigalpa's Farmers Market—including red onions (L30/lb), cabbage (L40), and beef (L98/lb)—while broccoli, yellow onions, corn, and chayote squash fell.

Five vegetables in Tegucigalpa's Farmers Market accumulated L30 in price increases, and several beef cuts rose by up to four lempiras per pound this week, driven by extreme drought affecting crop and livestock production.

The European Union is requiring Honduran palm-oil producers to prove via geolocation tracking and environmental compliance that their crops come from non-deforested areas to maintain and expand access to European markets under new EU regulations taking effect later this year.

Honduras's Finance Ministry is releasing over 1.1 billion lempiras (about $44 million) in advance municipal transfers to 75 drought-affected towns to fund emergency food security and aid to families hit hardest by the extended dry season.

Honduras's Energy Ministry shifted the weekly fuel-price adjustment from 6 a.m. to 12:01 a.m. on Mondays to align with gas stations' weekend supply logistics, a change implemented 30 days ago but announced publicly this week.

Honduras's banking regulator (CNBS) announced an August supervisory examination of state agricultural bank Banadesa to review its loan portfolio, use of public funds, and operational controls, citing suspected irregularities in credits approved under previous administrations.

The Central Bank set the official exchange rate at 26.8141 lempiras per dollar for buying and 26.9482 for selling on Friday, a slight uptick that carries direct effects on import costs, consumer prices, and the value of remittances received by Honduran families.

Gasoline and diesel prices will increase on August 10, with diesel rising the most (L4.80 per gallon in Tegucigalpa), while the government continues to subsidize domestic cooking gas to cushion the impact on households.

Bean prices rose up to 10 lempiras per measure in Tegucigalpa this week, with nine vegetables and eggs also climbing, adding 52 to 82 lempiras to household food costs as the minimum wage covers only 90% of basic needs.

Honduras officially launched its 2026 national census, using digital mapping and geolocation to collect population and housing data that will guide public investment toward municipalities with the greatest needs.

Congress approved budget amendments requiring telecom operators to contribute 1% of monthly revenue to fund internet access in public schools, while also allowing the military's textile industry direct procurement and ordering ministries to purge duplicate payroll positions.

The US reclassified Honduras to a lower 10% tariff rate instead of 12.5% and granted product exemptions, recognizing a Honduran executive decree banning imports of goods made with forced labor.

Honduras sold a 10-year sovereign bond for $815.67 million at a 6.4% interest rate, securing funds for debt management and the national budget while locking in interest rates more than 2 percentage points lower than a 2024 issuance.

Restaurants and comedores in the capital are selling tortillas for up to L2 (about $0.08) per unit, double the regulated maximum price of L1, while tortilla factories say they sell to retailers at L0.67, leaving consumer-protection authorities to enforce compliance.

Family remittances to Honduras reached $6.59 billion in the first half of 2026, a 11.9% jump from the same period last year and above the Central Bank's projected 3.5% growth; if the trend holds, annual remittances may exceed $13.5 billion.

More than 261,000 Honduran children in child labor earn an average of L4,279 (about $172) monthly—three times less than the L14,917 minimum wage—with rural children and those aged 5–9 earning the least.

Honduras has spent only L15.8 billion (about $635 million) of a L46.8 billion public investment budget in the first seven months of 2026, with roads leading at 54.9% execution while energy, transport, health, and education sectors lag well below 20%.

Family remittances to Honduras reached $11.9 billion in 2025, benefiting 3.1 million recipients and representing 30% of GDP, though growth rates are slowing compared to 2024.

The Asfura administration has sent a letter of intent to IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva as the current three-year, $822 million program nears completion, though officials say no decision has been made yet on whether to pursue a new agreement.