Wednesday, September 9, 2026 — Evening Edition

A criminal court cleared former officials Mario Zelaya and Ramón Bertetty of violating their official duties in an IHSS procurement case, ruling the contract was approved by the board rather than by either man alone, though both have faced several other convictions tied to IHSS embezzlement.

Congresswoman Iroshka Elvir of the Liberal Party has asked the government to reveal who hired and paid Argentine consultant Fernando Cerimedo during the 2025 election and to disclose his ties to then-candidate Nasry Asfura, noting that Cerimedo is under investigation in Bolivia for alleged drug trafficking and money laundering.

An investigation found that former Libre congressman Andrés Castro channeled L3.6 million (about $145,000) in Sedesol social aid to a ghost patronato and to recipients linked to an internal Libre faction and allied businesses, with at least L1.5 million (about $60,000) in food vouchers unaccounted for.

Congress is considering a proposal to strip political parties of the secretary and scrutineer posts at Honduras's roughly 18,000 polling stations, replacing partisan appointees with randomly selected citizens to reduce conflicts of interest during the vote count.

Honduras's new Energy Justice Law freezes electricity rates for six months, but the Electricity Regulatory Commission warns that bills can still climb if households use more power or if commercial charges apply.

Since passage of the Energy Justice Law, about 10 companies are planning new investments in Honduras, including a $400 million light-manufacturing project in Choloma, with officials pointing to energy-sector reforms as a key driver of business confidence.

Honduras's petroleum distributors' association warns that rising international diesel prices could push up transport and food costs, and is urging the government to adopt a long-term energy policy.

Honduras's national employment service will hold a job fair on September 10 in San Pedro Sula, with openings in cleaning, logistics, sales, security, construction, healthcare, and technical fields.

Honduras's electricity overhaul, which restructures ENEE and targets transmission infrastructure and technical losses, will take at least two years to meaningfully cut blackouts as the government carries out infrastructure investments and tackles the utility's 120-billion-lempira debt.

Honduras faces a housing shortfall of 1.57 million units, according to UNAH, with roughly 45,000 units added to the gap each year as high costs and scarce financing keep most families from owning a home.

Heavy-transport operators plan to meet with government officials on September 11 to demand updated freight rates and relief from rising fuel costs, warning that they will halt cargo and fuel deliveries nationwide if their demands go unmet.

The Atlantic has yet to produce a hurricane in 2026 despite five named storms, nearing a record-quiet season unseen since satellite tracking began in 1966, with forecasters attributing the calm partly to El Niño.

Lightning struck a tree near a house in San Marcos, Ocotepeque, sparking a fire that destroyed the home; no injuries were reported.

Comayagua will hold a free tribute concert on September 13 at the Plaza de La Juventud amphitheater, featuring dozens of artists and the unveiling of a bust at the Casa de la Cultura, marking two years since the death of beloved Honduran romantic singer Moisés Canelo.

With the end of TPS expected to send 55,000 Hondurans home, civil-society groups are urging the government to declare a migration emergency to ensure a safe, dignified return and to direct resources to municipalities and returnees.

A man identified as César Ardón was shot and killed inside a barbershop in the Gracias a Dios neighborhood of Danlí, El Paraíso; authorities are investigating the motive and searching for suspects.

A judge ordered three men held pending trial on charges of moving 1,234 kg of cocaine in a tanker truck with a hidden compartment, seized in El Progreso, Yoro, on August 27; they also face weapons charges.

A minor accused by prosecutors of forcing four protected witnesses to flee Villa Nueva, Tegucigalpa, on September 6 has been cleared after a judge dismissed the charges.