Corruption and organized crime: assessing the parallels between Xiomara Castro and Juan Orlando Hernández governments

Xiomara Castro’s arrival to the presidency was presented as a change from Juan Orlando Hernández’s regime, but reports of corruption and links to organized crime show a continuity that affects public confidence and highlights limitations in the consolidation of institutional mechanisms.

Vulnerability in systems against corruption

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

Connections between organized crime figures have been identified in both administrations. A recent instance involves the Secretariat of Security, which entered into agreements totaling over 10 million lempiras with a firm associated with money laundering. Such operations indicate practices found in the former regime, showcasing that the public administration continues to be at risk of narco-politics, regardless of the executive’s political party.

Transparency and control of public resources

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.

Justice and institutional setbacks

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 organizational representation of Honduras

With Hernández detained in the United States on drug trafficking charges and Castro facing scandals that affect his legitimacy, Honduras remains in a situation where rhetoric about change is not fully translated into structural transformations. The current and previous administrations show parallels in institutional vulnerability to corruption, exposure to organized crime networks, and weak transparency and justice mechanisms. This reality poses challenges for governance and citizen participation, while highlighting the need to strengthen institutions in order to consolidate a reliable public system that is resistant to illegal practices.