Browse Honduras Daily Stories

Congress president Tomás Zamrano signed an agreement joining the National Congress to the Open Government Partnership, a multilateral initiative aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and citizen participation.

Congressman Rumy Bueso said the Liberal caucus rejects the government's energy reforms, arguing they weaken state utility ENEE, and will introduce a counterproposal to strengthen the public company without privatization.

Julissa Villanueva, former security undersecretary, is outside Honduras and did not appear at the anti-corruption unit ATIC's offices; her legal team requested permission to testify via Zoom.

Former government official Julissa Villanueva denied Monday that she received a formal summons from the Special Prosecutor's Office, contradicting the public ministry's claim that she failed to appear for questioning, and said she is ready to testify once properly served.

Former president Juan Orlando Hernández landed at Palmerola International Airport on Sunday, July 26, after receiving a US presidential pardon following his narcotics conviction, and now faces a separate Honduran judicial process in the Pandora II corruption case.

A proposal from Congressman Erik Alvarado would eliminate the sales tax (ISV) on orthopedic equipment, wheelchairs, medical supplies, and breastfeeding products, aiming to lower costs for people with disabilities, those needing ongoing medical care, and nursing mothers.

The National Congress heard from the ENEE director and energy regulator on annual contract renewals for 30, 50, and 80 megawatts of electricity, with lawmakers divided over whether the state utility has adequate funds to pay for the supply amid broader financial strain.

Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez's homily about how drug traffickers and criminals bury illicit money triggered debate among lawmakers, with some urging caution in linking politicians to crime and others arguing the problem extends far beyond cash to property, businesses, and major investments.

Honduras's Supreme Court ordered a new trial for former judge Wendy Caballero Reyes on charges of abuse of authority stemming from her handling of an asset-laundering investigation involving a minor, with the hearing set for November 26.

Congresswoman Alía Kafati withdrew her proposal to limit Honduras presidents to one reelection and bar them from running again after two consecutive terms.

Shelters for women fleeing domestic violence across Honduras operate in crisis on international donations despite a 2024 law mandating state funding, while a new Tegucigalpa facility remains half-built after eight months.

Honduras's Constitutional Court admitted a legal challenge to a 2026 law that broadly expanded the definition of terrorist association, with critics warning its vague language could criminalize legitimate protest, strikes, and indigenous territorial rights.

Transport leaders from five major cities announced plans for a nationwide strike next week unless the government pays a pending compensation bonus and addresses security threats facing the sector.

Christian Duarte, a former finance secretary, criticized Juan Orlando Hernández's return to Honduras after receiving a U.S. presidential pardon, calling him the leader of a criminal organization whose rule plunged the country into darkness and asserting he still owes a debt to Honduran justice.

Deputy Alia Kafati announced she will withdraw a bill that would have regulated presidential reelection, asserting that the Honduran Constitution prohibits the practice entirely.

Prosecutors accuse former president Juan Orlando Hernández of diverting at least 62 million lempiras (about $3 million) from state accounts through two foundations to finance his 2013 presidential campaign, funding advertising, advisors' travel, helicopter rentals for his family, and a luxury watch.

Former president Juan Orlando Hernández, freed after a US pardon erased his 45-year drug-trafficking sentence, will return voluntarily to Honduras this Sunday to face domestic charges of fraud and money laundering, after a Honduran judge suspended the international arrest warrant against him.

Five months after the Attorney General's office submitted a draft modernizing Honduras's public-contracting rules—with digital tools, certified suppliers, and tighter controls—Congress says it has not yet received the formal executive version needed to begin legislative review.

Honduras's National Electoral Council received a proposal from former electoral officials to reform multiple articles of the Electoral Law, with interim CNE president Aixa Gabriela Zelaya noting that the full council will review the changes as part of efforts to strengthen democratic processes.

The Association of Petroleum Product Distributors (Ahdippe) called on lawmakers to more carefully analyze energy-system reform proposals, citing concerns about technical losses, ENEE debt recovery, and accountability before the bill advances.

Ricardo Cardona, private secretary to ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández, returned to Honduras after four years in Nicaragua, denying any criminal charges despite multiple open corruption investigations against him.

The Supreme Court of Justice has decided to transfer the case against former president Juan Orlando Hernández to the corruption court after he lost his immunity as a member of the Central American Parliament, moving it to ordinary jurisdiction.

President Nasry Asfura called on lawmakers to pass reforms to the Electricity Sector Law to address the state power utility ENEE's monthly losses of approximately 1.2 billion lempiras (about $48 million), which he said strain the government's capacity to fund health, education, and infrastructure.

Congressman Sebastián Romero met with the National Volunteer Council to discuss proposed amendments to Honduras's volunteer law, which regulates organized citizen participation in nonprofit social work and seeks to protect volunteers' rights and benefits.

A former National Electoral Council representative endorsed electoral reforms including a presidential runoff system, citizen-selected voting boards to replace party representatives, and independent selection of electoral council members, citing concerns about fraud and legitimacy.

The Patriotic Solidarity Coalition has called on Congress to strengthen a bipartisan electric-sector reform bill before passage, arguing it must address structural causes of the ENEE crisis—including arrears, technical losses, and governance failures—while guaranteeing state control of the system.

President Nasry Asfura stated that the government will receive former president Juan Orlando Hernández upon his return on July 26 as it does any Honduran citizen, without addressing the legal proceedings Hernández faces in the Pandora II fraud and money-laundering case.

Defense Minister Enrique Rodríguez Burchard announced a 30% salary increase for enlisted soldiers, adding approximately 3,000 lempiras (about $120) monthly at a cost of over 570 million lempiras, effective July 2026.

The Judicial School held a national gathering of specialized judges on organized crime, environmental, and corruption cases, aimed at strengthening judicial capacity and rule-of-law enforcement with support from the U.S. Embassy's International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau.

Honduras's National Anti-Corruption Council released a report analyzing the implications of former President Juan Orlando Hernández's return to the country, stating that his presence is a test of whether the justice system can investigate and prosecute alleged crimes with independence and impartiality.