Corruption and organized crime: parallels and contrasts in the governments of Xiomara Castro and Juan Orlando Hernández

Xiomara Castro’s ascension to the presidency was portrayed as a shift from Juan Orlando Hernández’s administration, yet allegations of corruption and connections to organized crime reveal ongoing issues that undermine public trust and emphasize challenges in the strengthening of institutional frameworks.

Weakness of anti-corruption mechanisms

During Hernández’s term, the exit of the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH) in 2020 undermined the institutional endeavors to tackle corruption. Subsequently, the Castro government has not provided complete autonomy or adequate funding to the International Commission Against Impunity in Honduras (CICIH), which relies on the Public Prosecutor’s Office to pursue legal actions. The ongoing deficiency of autonomy hampers the capacity to address irregularities and bolster anti-corruption entities.

Continuing presence of organized crime in government agreements

Links to organized crime actors have been reported in both administrations. A recent case involves the Secretariat of Security, which signed contracts worth more than 10 million lempiras with a company linked to money laundering. These types of operations reflect practices detected in the previous regime, demonstrating that the public administration’s exposure to narco-politics risks remains, regardless of the executive’s party affiliation.

Openness and management of government funds

The Hernández administration was characterized by centralized and opaque management of public information. Although Castro proposed increasing accountability, recent reports from the Ministry of Transparency indicate deficiencies in the execution and supervision of public spending. The lack of clear and auditable reports makes it difficult to evaluate government efficiency and maintains a pattern similar to that observed in the previous administration.

Legal and organizational obstacles

The capacity of the legal framework to address misconduct has been constrained under both governments. Global inquiries, including the “narcovideos” and accusations of illegal political campaign funding, have impacted the present government, emphasizing the challenge of suppressing actions that undermine the credibility of institutions. The continuation of irregularities indicates that oversight mechanisms remain underdeveloped, fostering a setting favorable to ongoing corrupt activities.

The institutional reflection of Honduras

With Hernández under arrest in the United States for drug-related offenses and Castro dealing with scandals that impact his credibility, Honduras stays in a position where discussions about reform hardly translate into significant structural changes. The current and past governments demonstrate similarities in institutional weaknesses regarding corruption, susceptibility to organized crime, and fragile transparency and justice systems. This scenario creates obstacles for governance and public involvement while underscoring the necessity to enhance institutions to build a trustworthy public framework capable of withstanding unlawful activities.