Last Tuesday, September 3, on national radio and television, President Xiomara Castro made a statement to the nation in response to the publication of a video that implicates her brother-in-law, former secretary of the National Congress, in negotiations with drug traffickers to finance the campaign of the Libre Party more than a decade ago. These facts, added to the relations that have been exposed between the top echelons of power of other parties and drug trafficking, cannot and should not go unnoticed or remain without rigorous criticism.
There is a public perception that President Castro’s explanations were neither sufficient nor convincing, much less the measures she announced to fight organized crime, particularly because her government denounced the bilateral extradition treaty with the United States, which has been an effective tool to investigate and punish politicians, businessmen and members of the state security forces linked to drug trafficking.
This situation has generated growing tension that fuels the risk of a new political crisis like those of 2009 and 2017. In this context, it is essential to stress the importance of respecting the alternation in the exercise of power, guaranteeing fair and transparent elections that safeguard democracy despite its fragility after decades of weakening, and subordinating public institutions to the interests of long-settled powers.
We strongly appeal to the government of the United States and the international community to remind them that:
Honduras’s democracy is experiencing a delicate moment. While constructive criticism is an integral part of any democracy, we urge that an atmosphere of greater instability be avoided, which could lead to a new crisis that would alter the constitutional order and cause the democratic system to collapse.
No country or external sector has the right to intervene in Honduras’s internal processes in a way that deepens the crisis. The Honduran people suffer the worst consequences of these decisions and continue to work to close the gaps that divide Honduran society in favor of better democracy and respect for human rights.
Given this situation, we propose urgently expediting the arrival of the International Commission against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (CICIH). This commission is crucial to strengthen the fight against impunity and corruption, especially at a time when the government has denounced the agreement that allowed the extradition of drug traffickers to the United States.
We hope that a balance between international cooperation, strengthening judicial institutions, and citizen participation will ensure that criminal structures do not consolidate their hold on power.
This statement is endorsed by national and international organizations organized in the Root Causes Initiative and concerned about the country’s political situation. Together, we reaffirm our commitment to defending human rights, justice, and democracy in Honduras so that people can decide whether to stay in their homes with dignity and not be forced to migrate.
The Root Causes Initiative is a network of faith-based and grassroots organizations and religious leaders from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, the U.S. working to resolve the underlying conditions forcing people to migrate from Central America. The Root Causes Initiative’s Platform for sustainable and equitable development, human rights, and humane treatment of migrants is supported by 340 organizations and religious leaders across the region.