Drug Trafficking Conviction of Honduran President Illustrates Fragile State of Governance

Written by Jose Aguilar | March 14 2024

Juan Orlando Hernándes Alvarado

On Friday, March 8th, a jury in a Southern District of New York found Juan Orlando Hernandez guilty on all counts. The former president of Honduras faces a minimum sentence of 40 years. The brother of Hernandez, Antonio “Tony” Hernandez was also convicted and sentenced on the same charges back in 2019. Both were accused of accepting bribes and working with some of the most powerful drug-trafficking organizations in the world, specifically the Sinaloa Cartel. The trial of a former Latin American head of state illustrates the co-options of government institutions and the fragile state of democracy and governance in the region.The United States has faced criticism surrounding this case since Hernandez was known as a key ally of the US in the region. The US also provided a significant amount of funding to the Honduran National Police and the military which both are institutions that Hernandez and other traffickers co-opted to facilitate drug trafficking. The prosecution of Hernandez reflects a policy that the US will prosecute anyone no matter their position. The Department of Justice states that Hernandez was part of one of the largest and most violent drug trafficking networks in the world. This sends a message to other heads of state in the region who have facilitated or are facilitating networks like this to operate in their countries. This is also part of the American strategy to build more resilient nations by addressing the root causes of the issue, in this case, corruption.