U.S. Prosecutors Allege El Chapo Gave $1m In Bribes To Honduran President’s Brother

Honduras' President Juan Orlando Hernandez addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 25, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo

FOX News: 'El Chapo' paid $1 million bribe to fund sitting Honduran president's campaign: prosecutors

Convicted Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán allegedly used the brother of the current Honduran president as the go-between in a 2013 bribe scheme trading $1 million for cartel protection, U.S. federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernández, 41, was accused in a Manhattan courtroom of using his connections in the Honduran government to smuggle cocaine through the country, knowing the final destination for the narcotics would be the United States.

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WNU Editor: The Honduran President Is denying these claims .... Honduras president rejects US accusation of El Chapo connection (DW).

More News On U.S. Prosecutors Alleging El Chapo Gave $1m In Bribes To Honduran President’s Brother

Prosecutors allege El Chapo gave $1m in bribes to Honduran president’s brother -- The Guardian/AP
El Chapo 'gave $1m to Honduran president's brother' -- BBC
U.S. prosecutor says Honduran president shielded brother's drug trafficking -- Reuters
US prosecutor says Honduran president took fortune in drug bribes -- AFP
'El Chapo' paid $1 million bribe to fund sitting Honduran president's campaign: prosecutors -- FOX News
Honduras' Hernandez accused of taking drug money from 'El Chapo' -- Al Jazeera

Honduras Rocked By Protests Over Allegations That President Hernández's Election Campaign Was Financed By Drug Money

BBC: Honduras protest turns violent amid anger at president

There have been violent clashes between police and protesters demanding the resignation of President Juan Orlando Hernández in Honduras.

Thousands took to the streets of the capital Tegucigalpa on Tuesday.

Several buildings were set alight and police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators.

The protests come days after prosecutors in the US alleged that Mr Hernández's 2013 presidential campaign had been financed by drug money.

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More News On the Unrest In Honduras

Honduras protesters calling on president to quit clash with riot police -- The Guardian/Reuters
Honduran protesters call for president to resign in wake of drug money accusations -- France 24
Honduras president urged to resign -- Al Jazeera
Thousands protest against Honduran president after drug link surfaces -- Reuters

DEA Investigating Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández For Cocaine Smuggling And Money Laundering

US federal prosecutors file court document naming President of Honduras @JuanOrlandoH as target of investigation by @DEAHQ for "large-scale drug-trafficking and money laundering activities." pic.twitter.com/wp62DMPrB2

— Univision News (@UnivisionNews) May 30, 2019

Washington Examiner: US investigating Honduran president for cocaine smuggling and money laundering

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández is one of the main targets of a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation into "large-scale drug-trafficking and money laundering activities" related to the "importation of cocaine into the United States," according to a court filing.

The document, filed Thursday, states the DEA has been investigating Hernández and eight others since 2013. Hernández became president in January 2014.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Update #1: DEA Investigated Honduras President for Cocaine Trafficking (Bloomberg)
Update #2: Honduras President, Others Targets of DEA Investigation -- US News and World Report/AP

WNU Editor: The brother of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was arrested last year in the U.S. on drug and weapon smuggling .... Brother of Honduran president detained in Miami, accused of ‘conspiring to import cocaine’ (Miami Herald). It looks like he gave some information that implicates his brother.

Honduran President Hernández Sworn In As Protests Grow

BBC: Honduran President Hernández sworn in amid protests

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández has been sworn in for a second term with high security in place after a disputed presidential election.

He took the oath at a ceremony in the capital, Tegucigalpa, that was watched by hundreds of guests and spectators.

Soldiers were deployed on the streets and opposition supporters protested outside the venue.

President Hernández's win in November has been widely criticised, with his party accused of electoral fraud.

More than 30 people have been killed in violence since the vote.

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More News On Honduran President Hernández Being Sworn In

Honduran president starts new term as fiery protests erupt -- AP
Honduran president sworn in amid protests after election chaos -- Reuters
Honduran president begins second term amid angry protests -- AFP
Honduran President To Begin Second Term After Controversial Election -- NPR

Report: Honduras' Top Police Officer Involved In Drug Trafficking

Newly appointed police chief Jose David Aguilar Moran delivers a speech during a ceremony at the police academy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras REUTERS/Jorge Cabrera

IBTimes: Honduras police chief helped drug cartel move a tonne of cocaine worth $20 million - Report

Jose David Aguilar Moran allegedly helped release a truck of drugs for Wilter Blanco.

A secret report alleges that one of the top brass of the Honduras police may have been involved in smuggling drugs for the cartel. According to the information made available to the Associated Press, the newly-appointed national police chief Jose David Aguilar Moran instructed officers to hold back on raid involving close to a tonne of cocaine.

The security report claims that Moran — who was sworn in to his new position last week — called off a 2013 police raid on a truck that was allegedly packed with cocaine. The drugs, which would have had a street value of around $20m (£14.1m), were instead given a police escort to the home of convicted drug trafficker Wilter Blanco.

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Update #1: Secret report: Honduras’ new top cop helped cartel move coke (AP)
Update #2: Excerpt from secret Honduran report on new top cop (AP)

WNU Editor:  A divisive election campaign and result .... Honduran president set to take power after bloody election chaos (Reuters) .... and now these corruption allegations. It is hard to be optimistic that the future for Honduras is a promising one.

Citing U.S. Pressure, Honduran Opposition Leader Accepts Defeat In Last Month's Presidential Election

Honduran opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla addresses the media after the U.S. backed the re-election of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez despite allegations of fraud by the opposition, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras December 22, 2017. ( Reuters )

TRT: Honduran opposition leader accepts defeat as US steps in

Salvador Nasralla conceded shortly after Honduras' key ally Washington endorsed President Juan Orlando Hernandez's re-election, following a month of sometimes deadly street clashes.

Honduran opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla said his bid for the presidency was a "lost cause" on Friday after the United States recognised President Juan Orlando Hernandez as winner of the election.

"The situation is practically decided," Nasralla said in an interview with TV network France 24. "I no longer have anything to do in politics, but the people, which are 80 percent in my favour, will continue the fight."

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WNU Editor: Apparently the U.S. put a lot of pressure on Honduran opposition leaders  to concede the election .... U.S. Spent Weeks Pressuring Honduras Opposition to End Protests Against Election Fraud (The Intercept). But while Honduran opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla has accepted defeat, the protests are probably still going to continue .... Democracy 'lost': Rights groups warn of more violence in Honduras as US recognizes president (ABC News).

Honduran President Ignores New Election Calls

Honduran opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla displays documents filed with Honduran election officials during a news conference in Washington, U.S., December 19, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

Reuters: Honduran president ignores new election calls, opponent warns of 'civil war'

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The president of Honduras declared himself re-elected on Tuesday despite calls from the Organization of American States (OAS) for a fresh vote over allegations of fraud and deadly protests following last month’s disputed election.

In Washington, his rival asked the United States and others to reject the result and cut off aid, warning that protests in which more than 20 people have died could escalate into generalized violence unless there is a new election.

The opposition alliance said it would file a legal challenge to the country’s electoral tribunal’s verdict that President Juan Orlando Hernandez won the Nov. 26 election.

Hernandez spoke for the first time since the tribunal issued that verdict on Sunday. A partial recount did not tip the result in favor of his opponent, TV host Salvador Nasralla, the tribunal said.

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More News On The Political Unrest In Honduras

Honduras opposition's Nasralla accepts talks over elections -- BBC News
Honduras: Clashes as official rejects calls for new election -- DW
US Leans Toward Incumbent in Honduras, Despite Disputed Result -- New York Times
Honduran opposition angry at US backing for election decision -- CNN
Honduras Opposition Candidate Calls on U.S. Not to Recognize Election -- US News and World Report/Reuters

Honduras’ Electoral Court Declares Incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez Election Winner

Honduras President and National Party candidate Juan Orlando Hernandez addresses the media at the Presidential House in Tegucigalpa, Honduras December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Cabrera

DW: Honduras: President Juan Orlando Hernandez declared election winner

The electoral court in Honduras has declared incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez as the winner of last month's election. The opposition has claimed electoral fraud.

Incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez won last month's contested election by 1.53 percentage points over center-left opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla, Honduras' electoral court said Sunday.

"This means the president elect for the Republic of Honduras for the next four years is Juan Orlando Hernandez Alvarado," said David Matamoros, the head of the electoral court, in a televised address.

Nasralla and his opposition alliance have claimed the November 26 presidential vote was marked by fraud and irregularities.

Nasralla and his ally, former President Manuel Zelaya, called for renewed protests.

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WNU Editor: The opposition believes the election result was fixed, and they are going to protest.

More News On Honduras’ Electoral Court Declaring Incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez As The Election Winner

Honduras’ electoral court declares president election winner -- AP
Honduras tribunal says incumbent Hernandez won election -- Reuters
Honduran Court Declares President as Winner of Disputed Election -- Wall Street Journal
Juan Orlando Hernandez Reelected as President of Honduras -- Sputnik International
OAS says 'serious questions' remain over Honduras election -- Business Insider

Honduras Opposition Parties Want The Election Results Annulled

Reuters: Honduras opposition parties ask for disputed election to be annulled

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduras’ two main opposition parties on Friday presented formal requests to annul the results of the still-unresolved presidential election, deepening a political crisis that has roiled the poor, violent Central American nation.

The Nov. 26 vote has been marred by accusations of electoral fraud, sparking protests, a widespread curfew and a growing chorus of international concern over the situation in Honduras, which has one of the world’s highest murder rates.

Opposition leader Salvador Nasralla, who trails conservative President Juan Orlando Hernandez by 1.6 percentage points according to the widely criticized official count, arrived at the election tribunal shortly before the midnight deadline to present his center-left coalition’s request.

“We’re asking for the result to be declared null at the presidential level, due to the scandalous fraud we have discovered,” Nasralla said.

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WNU Editor: The election is not going to be annulled.

More News On Honduras' Opposition Parties Wanting The Election Results Annulled

Honduran opposition challenges election results at deadline -- Washington Post/AP
Honduras opposition requests annulment of election results -- DW
Honduran Opposition Calls for Presidential Election Results to be Annulled -- VOA
Honduras on knife-edge after disputed election -- Financial Times
Honduras: Government deploys dangerous and illegal tactics to silence population -- Amnesty International

Honduran Police Officers Strike Over Alleged Election Fraud

AFP: Honduras poll crisis widens with police revolt

A political crisis in Honduras triggered by a disputed presidential election deepened Tuesday, after hundreds of police revolted against an order to impose a curfew.

The police, many of them members of an anti-riot unit called the "Cobras" joined by other officers, went into the street in the capital Tegucigalpa late Monday to show their rejection of the order. Locals applauded their presence.

"The truth is we don't want to fight the people any more," one of the officers said, declining to give his name and his face hidden by a ski mask.

The rebellion signals a potentially dangerous new turn in the crisis that has unfolded since the November 26 vote in which President Juan Orlando Hernandez controversially sought re-election.

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More News On The Growing Political Unrest In Honduras

Honduras police revolt amid tension over election -- BBC
Rebel Honduran police ignore curfew order, election protesters rejoice -- Reuters
Honduras: police refuse to obey government as post-election chaos deepens. -- The Guardian
Protesters Rally Again in Honduras as Allegations of Voter Fraud Deepen -- Yahoo News
Honduran electoral website shows president 1.59 percent points ahead -- Business Insider
Report: State certifies Honduran democracy in wake of contested election -- The Hill
After Violent Night, Honduran Tally Favors President in Disputed Vote -- Voice of America
Rebellious police add new wrinkle to disputed Honduran vote -- Washington Post

Honduras Ballot Recount Ends, Confirming The President's Lead

DW: Honduras ballot recount ends, with president's lead confirmed

A recount of votes from more than a thousand disputed ballot boxes after last week's presidential election in Honduras has ended, showing President Hernandez still in the lead. But allegations of election fraud persist.

Honduras' electoral tribunal has finished a partial recount of nearly 6 percent of ballots from last weekend's presidential election, as the country's main opposition leader continued to demand a wider recalculation of the votes.

Tribunal president David Matamoros said on Monday that 100 percent of the ballots had been counted, but that no winner was yet being declared.

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WNU editor: Apparently the recount has been completed, but no official announcement on the results has been made as of now.

More News On The Honduras Ballot Recount

Honduras incumbent Hernández leads after vote recount -- BBC
Honduran president holds lead as vote count wraps up -- AP
Honduran tally favors second term for president in disputed vote -- Reuters
Thousands protest in Honduras in chaos over contested presidential election -- The Guardian
Honduran protesters call for vote recount -- Al Jazeera

Unrest Continues To Grow In Honduras As The Opposition Calls For A New Election

NPR: Honduras On The Brink: Curfew Enforced By Military, Opposition Calls For New Election

The Honduran government suspended constitutional rights and called for the military to enforce a curfew and disperse protesters over the weekend after a contested election plunged the Central American country into a political crisis.

Honduras is in a state of hostile uncertainty, where ambiguity regarding the outcome of elections has led to deadly confrontations with state forces.

On Saturday, The Associated Press reported that the main opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla called for the presidential elections to be held again.

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More News On The Political Crisis In Honduras

Protests build in Honduras as Hernandez's re-election looms -- Deutsche Welle
Honduras opposition slams curfew after post-election violence -- CNN
Honduras opposition demands rerun in disputed election -- DW
Honduras election: Army enforces curfew after vote sparks deadly protests -- ABC News Online
Honduras election: Army given more powers to quash unrest -- BBC
Honduras army, police crack down on election unrest -- Al Jazeera
Honduran army enforces curfew after vote count stalls -- Reuters
Honduras in limbo -- Euronews

Final Result In Honduras Election Delayed Once Again

A man walks away from tear gas as supporters of Salvador Nasralla, presidential candidate for the Opposition Alliance Against the Dictatorship, clash with police during a protest caused by the delayed vote count for the presidential election in San Pedro Sula, Honduras December 1, 2017. REUTERS/Moises Ayala

BBC: Honduras election: Fresh delays after opposition demands recount

An expected announcement on the winner of disputed presidential elections in Honduras has been hit by fresh delays.

Electoral officials shelved the announcement, due late on Friday, when main opposition contender Salvador Nasralla demanded a recount of votes from more than 5,000 ballot boxes.

Results from last Sunday's vote had already been badly delayed amid opposition allegations of fraud.

Violent demonstrations have left one person dead and 20 injured.

Riot police fired tear gas at angry opposition supporters in the capital Tegucigalpa on Friday, near the centre where the results were due to be announced.

Elsewhere, protesters blocked major road and set vehicles alight.

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WNU Editor: According to the AP (at 21:31 EST this Friday evening), with 95% of the vote counted, incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez has a lead of more than 46,000 votes over challenger Salvador Nasralla .... Amid disturbances, Honduras to hand-count final votes (Washington Post/AP).

Update: The Honduran government has just suspended the constitution .... Honduras suspends constitutional guarantees amid election unrest (Reuters).

More News On The Growing Political Unrest In Honduras

One Dead, Scores Arrested in Unrest Over Delayed Honduran Vote Count -- U.S. News & World Report/Reuters
Protests Roil Honduras in Wait for Election Results -- VOA
Five days after presidential election, an increasingly tense Honduras still has no result -- L.A. Times
Honduras presidential election: Fresh clashes break out as poll rolls into fifth day -- Firstpost

Political Unrest Grows In Honduras As Vote Count Delayed

Supporters of Salvador Nasralla, presidential candidate for the Opposition Alliance Against the Dictatorship, raise their fists as they sing the national anthem, while waiting for official presidential election results outside the warehouse of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal in Tegucigalpa, Honduras November 29, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Cabrera Reuters

New York Times: Political Unrest Grips Honduras After Disputed Election

MEXICO CITY — Honduras was on the edge of political turmoil on Thursday, with the opposition candidate accusing vote counters of trying to “steal our victory” in an election whose results are sharply contested.

The candidate, Salvador Nasralla, said Wednesday that he would not accept the count of the country’s electoral commission, whose computer tally showed that President Juan Orlando Hernández had closed a gap that initially put Mr. Nasralla ahead in the voting that ended Sunday.

Mr. Nasralla’s statement that he would not accept the count represented an about-face from a letter he had signed a few hours earlier along with Mr. Hernández. Brokered by the Organization of American States, the agreement committed both men to respecting the commission’s results.

With ballots counted at about 80 percent of polling places, the candidates’ vote totals were almost even when Mr. Nasralla backtracked on the agreement. A final result is expected on Thursday.

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WNU Editor: I guess someone gave him a heads-up that a fix may be in .... Honduras election: Opposition candidate Nasralla rejects poll count (BBC).

More News On The Political Unrest In Honduras

The Latest: Honduras: Vote computers failed, 'not critical' -- Washington Post/AP
Honduras president edges into lead, vote count delayed again -- AP
Honduran election crisis festers as rivals claim victory -- Reuters
Tensions rise as winner of Honduras vote expected Thursday -- UPI
Rising Tension In Honduras As Presidential Vote Count Drags On -- NPR
Honduras election: Tensions high as vote count delayed -- Al Jazeera

Honduras Election Count Is Now 'Neck-And-Neck'

Reuters: Election crisis engulfs Honduras with rival candidates neck-and-neck

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduras grappled with a slow-motion political crisis on Wednesday, with its president, a crime-fighting U.S. ally, edging ahead of his rival, a TV star whose supporters protested as his early lead in the weekend election evaporated.

Three days after polling stations closed in Honduras’ presidential election, there was growing international concern and still a fifth of ballots left to count with no clear victor.

With around 82.89 percent of ballots counted, center-right President Juan Orlando Hernandez had 42.2 percent of the vote and challenger Salvador Nasralla was on 42.1 percent, the election tribunal said, with the president 3,000 votes in the lead.

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Update #1: Honduras street protesters allege electoral fraud (BBC).
Update #2: Honduras presidential race narrows as final results awaited (ABC News/AP)

WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction .... the loser (and I am willing to bet that it is the challenger) is not going to be happy.

Honduras Still Hasn't Declared A Winner In Its Presidential Vote

L.A. Times: Honduras still hasn't declared a winner in its presidential vote — and tensions are rising

Protesters from opposing political parties took to the streets Tuesday in Honduras, where election officials still have not declared a winner in Sunday’s presidential vote amid allegations of fraud.

International monitors called for a speedier and more transparent vote count as several prominent civil society groups accused the government of slowing its release of tallies because it appeared the incumbent president was headed toward a loss.

After more than 24 hours without publicly updating vote tallies, the country's electoral court reported Tuesday that with 67% of ballots counted, opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla led a field of nine candidates with 964,883 votes, or 44% of the total. President Juan Orlando Hernandez had 901,115 votes, or 41%.

The new tally represented a major gain for Hernandez, narrowing Nasralla’s lead from 93,975 votes to 63,768.

The court’s president said that it will take until as late as Thursday to tally the remaining votes and that election officials would not name a winner until every vote had been counted.

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Update #1: TV star urges protests as his lead shrinks in dramatic Honduras vote -- Reuters
Update #2: Honduras waits for election results amid accusations of fraud (DW)

WNU Editor:  People are getting nervous.

Honduras Presidential Election Still Unresolved. Opposition Candidate Has A Lead Of Five Percent

Reuters: Honduran election unresolved, with television star poised to win

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The result of Honduras’ presidential election was still in limbo early on Tuesday, even after initial results suggested a flamboyant TV host was on course for a surprise victory over the U.S.-friendly incumbent, Juan Orlando Hernandez.

One of the poorest nations in the Americas, Honduras has been blighted by years of gang violence, giving it one of the world’s highest murder rates. However, Hernandez made inroads in tackling the problem and was expected to win before the vote.

With about 70 percent of ballots counted, TV entertainer Salvador Nasralla was leading by a margin of five points, election official Marcos Ramiro Lobo told Reuters on Monday afternoon, by which time results updates had ground to a halt.

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WNU Editor: It looks like Honduras is going to end up with a new President when the votes are finally counted.

More News On Honduras's Election

Honduras in limbo as votes for president are counted -- BBC
TV star takes lead in Honduras election -- Euronews
Salvador Nasralla Set to Beat Incumbent Juan Orlando Hernandez in Honduran Presidential Polls -- The Wire
Honduran Ruling Party Calls on Supporters to Fight for Presidency in Streets -- Latin American Herald Tribune

Both Parties Claim Victory In Yesterday's Honduran Presidential Election

BBC: Honduras presidential vote: Both candidates claim victory

Honduras's President Juan Orlando Hernández and opposition leader Salvador Nasralla have both declared victory in Sunday's presidential poll.

Supporters of the two candidates have been celebrating on the streets.

With 57% of votes counted, the electoral tribunal has so far given Mr Nasralla the lead.

He has just over 45% of the vote and Mr Hernández just over 40%, the tribunal's president announced in the early hours of Sunday.

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More News On Yesterday's Presidential Election In Honduras

Leftist challenger leads in Honduras presidential vote count -- AP
In upset, TV star leads U.S. ally in Honduras presidential vote -- Reuters
Opposition candidate leading Honduras presidential poll -- The Guardian/AFP
Opposition takes early lead in Honduras election -- Aljazeera
In Honduras Election, Ex-Sportscaster Takes Lead Over President -- New York Times

Hondurans Go To The Polls This Sunday To Elect A New President

Juan Orlando Hernández is running for an unprecedented second term

The Guardian: Honduran president makes contentious bid for second term

Polls put Juan Orlando Hernández ahead in election campaign held under shadow of alleged corruption and crime

Allegations of election fraud, tyranny, drug trafficking and interference by communist provocateurs will cast a long shadow over Hondurans when they head to the polls on Sunday for a vote that threatens to plunge the volatile Central American country into fresh political turmoil.

Juan Orlando Hernández, the pro-business, pro-militarisation president representing the rightwing National party, is using a contentious 2016 court ruling to justify his bid for a second term in power, despite the constitution prohibiting re-election of sitting or former leaders.

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More News On Honduras Going To The Polls

Honduras elections: Security key issue as Hernández runs again -- BBC
Honduras president seeks 2nd term despite constitutional ban -- AP
Will elections in Honduras be a step forward or another step backward? -- The Hill
Distaste for Honduran Leaders Who Linger Fuels Distrust in Election -- New York Times
Is Honduras's ruling party planning to rig an election? -- The Economist
Blood flows and rivers run dry as Honduras prepares to go to the polls – in pictures -- The Guardian

Inside The World's Most Violent City In The World

Inside San Pedro Sula – The Most Violent City In The World -- The Guardian

City in Honduras has a murder rate of 173 per 100,000 residents, reportedly the highest in the world outside a war zone.

No matter the time of day or night, morticians stand guard by the gate of the city morgue, waiting for the next body to be released so they can offer their services to grieving families. In the most violent city in the most violent country in the world, they never have to wait for long.

"Satan himself lives here in San Pedro," says one nervous mortician who asks to be identified only as Lucas. "People here kill people like they're nothing more than chickens."

Last year, an average of 20 people were murdered every day in Honduras, a country of just 8 million inhabitants, according to the Violence Observatory at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (NAUH). That's a murder rate of 85.5 per 100,000 residents, compared with 56 in Venezuela, 4.78 in the US and 1.2 in the UK.

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My Comment: These murder rates are approaching what you expect to see in a war zone like Aleppo, Kabul, etc..