Honduras Engages Allies to Battle Organized Crime

The realization in October (following the killing of son of the Rector of the University of Honduras) of the magnitude of the corruption within the National Police and its infiltration by organized crime and Mexican drug cartels seems to have been the "aha moment" for President Lobo...

Honduras Weekly
Judging by comments made yesterday by the president of Honduras' Congress, Juan Orlando Hernández, at least part of the aim recent bilateral security cooperation agreements between Honduras and the United States, Chile, Colombia, and Spain is to discourage organized crime syndicates and gangs from taking retribution against members of the government for enforcing anti-crime legislation and policies, and trying to expose suspected criminals. "If something should happen to a Honduran official, the international community will come here to even the most remote areas to administer justice," said Congressman Hernández, who is also a leading presidential candidate for the conservative Nationalist Party. In light of the the murder of former security consultant Alfredo Landaverde in December and ongoing death threats against former Police Commissioner María Luisa Borjas and murder attempts against Police Director José Ricardo Ramírez del Cid, it has become evident that anyone working or speaking out against organized crime in Honduras, particularly public officials and journalists, risks becoming a target of assassination.

Things have gone from bad to worse ever since the December 2009 murder of former anti-drug czar General Julian Arístides González.

The Lobo administration has been struggling during the past two years to cope with the situation, but it has finally come to accept that it is way in over its head and thus requires close logistical, investigative, training, and personnel support from other countries. The realization in October (following the killing of son of the Rector of the University of Honduras) of the magnitude of the corruption within the National Police and its infiltration by organized crime and Mexican drug cartels seems to have been the "aha moment" for President Lobo which moved him to redouble his efforts to seek professional expertise and more equipment from foreign governments.

There is a sense that the government, and indeed the entire country, is under siege and has to find powerful allies to help combat the threat posed by well-funded and well-armed criminal elements unlikely to be easily intimidated. (1/20/12) (photo of Juan Orlando Hernández courtesy Internet)