Browse Honduras Daily Stories

Francisco Ernesto Ruiz Nieto, former director of Honduras's asset-seizure office (OABI), was convicted of violating official duties for moving 135 lots of seized jewelry and 28 watches from San Pedro Sula to Tegucigalpa in 2019 without proper procedure, resulting in the disappearance of items valued at L1.27 million (about $51,000).

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.

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.

A U.S. State Department report finds Honduras has investment advantages—proximity to the United States, CAFTA-DR trade access, and over 200 American companies operating there—but says high electricity costs, logistics gaps, corruption, and legal uncertainty continue to deter expansion.

Guatemalan entrepreneur Axel López has filed a second lawsuit against Honduras over seven mobile hospitals purchased during COVID-19 that never functioned as intended, adding to the country's financial and legal burden from the pandemic-era procurement.

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.

Honduras awarded a 49.7 million lempiras (about $2 million) contract for a national early-alert platform to a consortium including International Technology Group, a company identified as connected to a scheme that siphoned roughly 7 billion lempiras from the social-security institute.

The Public Ministry has requested preliminary proceedings against five members of Congress from the Libre party and two former Social Development Ministry officials on suspicion of fraud and breach of official duties harming the state.

Honduras's Anticorruption Council urged the Supreme Court to resolve a years-long cassation delay in the Bográn mobile-hospital case, warning the stall undermines public trust in justice.

The penitentiary authority reported that Marco Antonio Bográn Corrales was not released immediately after a court ruling because he faces another pending criminal case, so he remains in custody.

A plane owned by a company whose proprietor was implicated in drug trafficking links to former presidents Juan Orlando and Juan Antonio Hernández in the Pandora case is participating in the government's cloud-seeding operation to fight drought in Honduras's dry corridor, at a cost of over 16 million lempiras (about $640,000).

Honduras's appellate court confirmed a ruling ordering the seizure of $4.2 million tied to a pandemic-era mobile-hospital purchase, funds now held in U.S. bank accounts that the government will seek to recover through international legal assistance once the sentence becomes final.

Honduras's attorney general has filed criminal charges against two ZEDE Próspera officials—the technical secretary and civil prosecutor—alleging treason and usurpation of public functions, with lawmakers including Liberal deputy Carlos Umaña calling the special economic zones a product of corruption.

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.

Prosecutors have charged 11 Central Bank of Honduras employees and former employees with negligent embezzlement for allowing ex-prosecutor Francia Medina to withdraw L88.8 million (about $3.5 million) in seized evidence from bank vaults without proper authorization.

An investigation by El Heraldo found that Libre members of Congress directed nearly 224 million lempiras ($9 million) in social assistance—food vouchers, scholarships, and infrastructure aid—between 2023 and 2024 toward party members and their circles, while registered beneficiaries reported never receiving promised benefits.

An assessment by academics, civil-society groups, businesses, international donors, and political actors finds that 80% consider the government's anti-corruption response ineffective, with widespread doubt that deep structural change is occurring.

A Honduran court on September 1 dismissed charges against former president Juan Orlando Hernández in the Pandora II case, ruling prosecutors failed to prove he diverted $10.8 million to his 2013 campaign when he led Congress, and ordering his release.

Former Planning Minister Ricardo Salgado's ministry spent L22.9 million (about $920,000) on vehicle rentals over three years, with spending surging to L16.1 million in the 2025 election year—a roughly five-fold increase from 2024.

Luis Javier Santos, a former UFERCO prosecutor, says Honduras's judiciary has long protected impunity by weakening, shelving, or stalling corruption cases — including Hermes, Arca Abierta, and a deputy-fund scheme — before they reach conviction.

The initial hearing in the fraud and money laundering case against former president Juan Orlando Hernández was set to begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to judiciary spokesman Carlos Silva.

Gabriela Castellanos, director of Honduras's National Anti-Corruption Council, said tolerance for intimidation of public officials threatens rule of law, citing the Attorney General's complaint that former president Juan Orlando Hernández confronted prosecutors during a court hearing.

Honduras's anti-corruption council announced investigations into alleged corruption at the Social Housing Fund (Fosovi) and at least seven other public institutions, urging prosecutors to bring those responsible to justice.

Documents and complaints allege that Honduras's agricultural development bank improperly awarded loans tied to sports teams, raising concerns about nepotism and potential fraud in the lending process.

Honduras's National Anti-Corruption Council filed charges against former Fosovi directors Juan Ramón Cruz Carvajal and Gilberto Ríos Munguía, alleging misappropriation of public funds to personal accounts, administrative collapse from 2020–2026, and unpaid debts to pension and health-insurance institutes totaling millions of lempiras.

Courts ordered 548 seized properties returned during Rebeca Obando's three years leading Honduras's Supreme Court—nearly triple the 185 returned under her predecessor—with many assets returned in deteriorated condition, prompting lawsuits against the state asset office.

A judge scheduled an August 20 hearing for former Health Minister Alba Flores to answer fraud and document-falsification charges stemming from a COVID-19 mobile hospital procurement scandal; Flores has evaded justice since November 2023.

César Chirinos, president of the National Association of Public Employees (Andeph), reported that mid- and lower-level officials are allegedly demanding improper payments, saying the practice inflates public spending and procurement costs, and pledged to provide details directly to President Asfura.

A Data Veritas poll finds corruption (21%), rising cost of living (19.6%), and unemployment (14.8%) are Honduras's most pressing problems, while public approval of the Asfura government remains predominantly negative.

Former President Juan Orlando Hernández's defense filed a motion to keep his case in the Supreme Court rather than transfer it to the specialized organized-crime court, with a scheduled appearance set for August 3 on fraud and money-laundering charges in the 'Pandora II' case.