Browse Honduras Daily Stories

Honduras allows criminal prosecution of adolescents as young as 12, one of the region's lowest thresholds; Congress is now debating raising penalties for juveniles and allowing 16- and 17-year-olds accused of serious crimes to face adult prosecution.

Congress received the Supreme Court's legal opinion on October 20 on two criminal-code reform packages aimed at strengthening the state's response to crime, with floor debate scheduled to begin on October 27.

The Supreme Court of Justice is requesting an additional L1 billion (about $40 million) for its 2027 budget to fund wage increases for judicial staff, digitalization projects, and improvements to peace court facilities nationwide, while reporting a current debt of L1.5–1.6 billion from the state.

Sitrainfop, the union at Honduras's National Vocational Training Institute (Infop), has filed a complaint accusing the institution of retaining L4.3 million (about $172,000) in union dues deducted from workers' pay for August–October 2026 and refusing to recognize fired union leader Antolino Díaz in collective-bargaining talks.

Manuel Zelaya, the Libre party coordinator, returned to Honduras on October 15 after receiving medical discharge in Mexico for a heart condition, saying he will resume party activities while continuing outpatient treatment at home.

A proposed legislative reform would permit authorities to use more than 353 million lempiras (about $14 million) seized in the Koriun Inversiones scheme to combat crime, leaving investors uncertain whether they could recover their money if the case results in acquittal.

Honduras's Liquidating Commission found that the former Libre government's Strategic Planning Secretariat paid 54 million lempiras (about $2.16 million) over 18 months to a Venezuelan adviser who profiled media outlets and journalists by political alignment and advised on promoting democratic socialism messaging.

A proposal before Congress would raise from 150,000 to 300,000 lempiras (about $6,000 to $12,000) the transaction ceiling up to which individuals pay the 2-lempira-per-thousand Security Tax on personal bank accounts, extending the standard rate to a broader range of transactions.

The National Congress returns to session on Monday, October 12, with electoral reforms, the 2027 general budget, and pending committee reports on the agenda, followed by a mobile session in Danlí on October 14.

Congress started analyzing the 2027 general budget of 455.4 billion lempiras (about $18.2 billion), a 2.5% increase from 2026, with the government proposing to cut operating expenses to direct more funds toward education, health, security, infrastructure, and job creation.

Liberal congressman Alex Berríos will request that Tourism Minister Andrés Ehrler report to Congress on why thousands of Hondurans traveled to El Salvador during October holidays instead of vacationing domestically, citing the minister's public defense of tourists' freedom to spend money abroad.

Honduras's audit tribunal found that Fundaniquem (the Burn Foundation) hired staff members without following proper procedures during 2019–2020, including relatives of director Omar Elías Mejía Zúniga; Mejía confirmed his daughter, a niece, and another relative currently work there as medical staff.

Honduras's Supreme Audit Court found that the state power utility ENEE redirected about 2 billion lempiras (roughly $80 million) intended for a national program to reduce electrical losses, preventing the purchase of equipment and services needed to meet its efficiency targets in 2023–24.

A proposed law would make tenants responsible for electric bills incurred during their lease term and allow utilities to report unpaid debts to credit agencies after a 30-day notice period, protecting property owners from inherited arrears.

President Nasry Asfura signed the Law of Energy Justice, which restructures the state power utility ENEE by separating generation, transmission, and distribution into three subsidiary companies while maintaining state ownership, aimed at reducing losses and improving electricity service.

Congress set up a technical committee to address transport-sector concerns over rising fuel and parts costs, delayed operating permits, and insecurity, with lawmakers exploring options including possible fuel-tax cuts and remote work arrangements.

Melvin Cevallos, a Libre party activist, appeared for a preliminary hearing on Monday on charges of electoral coercion and threats related to protests he led on July 7, 2025, that disrupted a CNE event involving the TREP election-results system.

Honduras's human-rights commission is calling on Congress to approve a Missing Persons Law that would unify state search efforts, classify enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity, and protect families' property rights.

Tomás Zambrano, president of the National Congress, said Honduras will combat gang violence and organized crime through new anti-terrorism legislation and reforms rather than declaring a state of exception, which he said suspends rights for the entire population.

Honduras's campaign-finance watchdog (UFTF) defended a 146.4-million-lempira fine against former presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla, saying the investigation lasted over a month and found undisclosed private donations of 73.2 million lempiras that were not properly reported.

The Honduran Congress referred a bill regulating chemical precursors used in clandestine drug labs to the Defense Committee, with backing from Defense, Security, and Health officials.

A National Congress deputy introduced legislation to officially designate turquoise blue as the color of Honduras's national flag's upper and lower stripes, aiming to ensure uniform representation in official settings and public buildings.

Congress President Tomás Zambrano announced plans to vet justice-system officials for ties to criminal activity, following congressional approval of reforms that tighten confinement rules for gang and terrorist-organization members.

Congress passed sweeping legislation naming three criminal organizations as terrorist groups and imposing strict isolation, technology bans, and severe movement restrictions on inmates convicted of terrorism or gang membership.

Congressman Adolfo Ráquel, citing Directorio Legislativo data, claims Honduran legislators earn $3,833 a month—the lowest in Latin America—netting about 70,000 lempiras (roughly $2,800) after deductions from a gross salary of around 90,000 lempiras.

Honduras's Appeals Court unanimously revoked the formal charges against David Chávez, former head of the National Party's Central Committee, over alleged fraud and misconduct in a 75.8-million-lempira (about $3 million) irregular procurement at the national vocational institute.

Ten civil-society organizations, supported by the UN Development Programme, delivered a package of electoral reforms to Congress President Tomás Zambrano and the National Electoral Council, as lawmakers prepare to negotiate competing proposals on voting procedures.

The Campaign Finance, Transparency, and Oversight Unit (UFTF) has identified newly elected congressmen and mayors for the 2026–2030 term who failed to submit required financial disclosures of their campaign spending.

The National Congress returns to session on Monday, September 21, after a recess for Children's Day and Independence Day, implementing a four-day work week through the end of September to clear 14 stalled bills from a prioritized package and debate electoral reforms, criminal-justice changes, and the 2027 budget.

Honduras's anticorruption chief has called for negotiations between prosecutors, ZEDE representatives, and authorities to determine how to implement a Supreme Court ruling that declared the special economic zones unconstitutional, as the attorney general weighs legal action if operations continue.