Monday, August 3, 2026

Lawyers for former president Juan Orlando Hernández have appealed after a Supreme Court judge declined to hear the 'Pandora II' case, which alleges fraud and money laundering, arguing that the court should keep jurisdiction over cases involving former high officials.

Also reported by: Radio Cadena Voces (RCV), Radio América, HCH

A judge has set an August 20 hearing for former Health Minister Alba Flores to answer fraud and document-falsification charges tied to a COVID-19 mobile hospital procurement scandal; Flores has been a fugitive since November 2023.

Diesel has jumped 69.8% since January to L141.67 a gallon and premium gasoline 49.6%, with another increase taking effect August 3 that economists warn will push up transport and food costs.

Red beans rose 5 lempiras to 110–116 lempiras per measure at Tegucigalpa's Feria del Estadio market this week, and producers warn of further increases in about three weeks as the new harvest comes in; onions, beets, corn, pataste (chayote squash), and cauliflower also rose amid low supply from prolonged dry weather.

Dereck Moncada, 18, scored his first goal in European football in his first start for Switzerland's FC Lugano, helping the team to victory and extending his rapid rise in the professional game.

Also reported by: Diez

Defender Valerio Marinacci bruised his right ankle during his first start for Motagua, in the Apertura 2026 opener against Juticalpa, and was substituted; reports point to a two- to three-week recovery.

Honduras sanctioned 10,752 police officers and security officials between 2018 and mid-2026 and dismissed 4,500, an average of nine to 10 fired each week, though many cases remain stuck in administrative processes despite suspected ties to organized crime.

A judge in San Pedro Sula ordered a teacher at Instituto José Trinidad Reyes held in pretrial detention on charges of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old student on July 2, with a preliminary hearing set for September 7.

Also reported by: HCH

Former president Juan Orlando Hernández is due in court August 3 on fraud and money-laundering charges in the Pandora II case, in which prosecutors allege a network diverted more than 288 million lempiras (about $11.5 million) in state funds between 2010 and 2013, with at least 62 million lempiras allegedly benefiting his presidential campaign.

Also reported by: La Prensa

An August 5 hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights will let Honduras and civil-society groups lay out their positions on judicial independence, but it is informational only and carries no international judgment or condemnation of the state.

Honduras's telecommunications regulator has launched an auction of three 20 MHz blocks in the 1700/2100 MHz band, with bidding set for August 26 at $8 million per block, to expand 4G coverage and lay the groundwork for future 5G.

Honduras's social security institute (IHSS) now lets Tegucigalpa patients book doctor's appointments over WhatsApp by sending photos of their ID and medical referrals, doing away with in-person lines.

Honduras's Hospital Escuela says it treats 140 to 170 pregnant adolescents each month, about 70% of them from Tegucigalpa, leading health officials to call for stronger prevention, sex education, and support programs.

The Honduran-Colombian film 'Eva,' a drama about a trans mother and son rebuilding their bond after loss, opens in Honduran theaters on August 13 after premiering at international festivals in Rome, Havana, Chicago, Los Angeles, Germany, and India.

Teenager Jeremy Rodríguez scored in the 16th and 17th minutes as Olimpia beat Lobos UPNFM 2–0 in the opening match of the 2026 Apertura season at the National Stadium.

Wrestler Kevin Mejía won Honduras's first gold medal at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, claiming the Greco-Roman 97 kg title with a 5–0 win in the final.

Honduras's migration authority is adding staff and extending hours at key border crossings from July 31 to August 9 to handle an expected 20,000 to 25,000 Salvadoran visitors during El Salvador's August holidays.

Brayan Omar Sánchez Servellón, a Honduran man held in immigration detention in Texas, was reportedly deported to Senegal, where he told relatives he was abused during the transfer, though neither U.S. nor Honduran authorities have confirmed the case.

Investigators say worn rear brake pads and a burst auxiliary pump likely sent a bus out of control in Tegucigalpa's Los Pinos neighborhood on August 2, killing two men, aged 67 and 72, and injuring at least five others.

Also reported by: TuNota (Canal 5 / TSI), Radio HRN

The body of Evelin Dayana Muñoz, missing since August 1, was found Sunday in a palm plantation near Achiote, Sabá, Colón, shaking the community.

Also reported by: HCH

Adán Fúnez, the former mayor of Tocoa, was moved from pretrial detention to house arrest on health grounds, prompting environmental advocates and victims' lawyers to warn that the change leaves the family of slain environmental defender Juan López inadequately protected and offers no safeguards against witness intimidation.

Also reported by: Once Noticias

National prison security officers arrested a woman at Ilama Prison in Santa Bárbara after finding a package of suspected drugs hidden in her body during a visit.

Also reported by: Radio América Honduras