Americas press review

In the spotlight: green light for the extradition of the former Honduran president to the United States

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández (center) surrounded by police, February 15, 2022. AFP - STR

Text by: Stefanie Schüler Follow

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In Honduras, justice has given the green light to the extradition of Juan Orlando Hernandez to the United States.

US prosecutors accuse the ex-president of turning Honduras into a “narco-state”.

Juan Orlando Hernandez soon on his way to New York?

The subject is on the front page of all the Honduran press this morning.

La Tribuna

first recalls the facts: “ 

American justice accuses him of having been at the head of a drug trafficking network, which transported cocaine from countries such as Mexico and Venezuela via Honduras to the United States.

Juan Orlando Hernandez would have protected drug traffickers when he was president between 2014 and January 2022. In exchange, he would have received millions of dollars in bribes.

 »

The session before the extradition judge of first instance lasted 12 hours yesterday, writes the newspaper again.

“ 

Throughout the day, supporters of Juan Orlando Hernandez camped outside the court as a sign of solidarity 

,” reports

El Heraldo

.

“ 

The decision to grant the extradition of Juan Orlando Hernandez was announced around 9

p.m.

 »

The former first lady broke down in tears.

A little later, in front of the press, Ana Garcia finds her usual verve.

She maintains that her husband is the victim of a plot.

“ 

Once again I repeat that this is revenge on the part of drug traffickers who were extradited from this country or who fled and who now, to negotiate their sentences, accuse Juan Orlando

 ”, she said

.

“ 

I sincerely regret doing this to someone who has been an ally.

I wonder who, from now on, will want to work to fight against drug trafficking in any country in the region or in Honduras?

 »

Juan Orlando Hernandez has three days to appeal.

The final decision would then rest with the Supreme Court of Honduras, explains

El Pais

.

But many commentators believe this morning that his extradition is now beyond doubt.

Honduran NGOs specializing in the fight against corruption and drug trafficking welcome the judges' decision.

But for Lester Ramirez, director of the NGO Governance and Transparency in Honduras, the now probable extradition of the former president will only be the beginning: “ 

In Honduras, a foreign country must try a senior public official for drug trafficking offenses, not to mention the corruption offenses in which he has also been implicated.

This sends a clear message: our justice system is neither independent nor impartial.

Our justice is corrupted by the political parties which thus try to ensure impunity.

And the result is there !

Unfortunately today, any politician can team up with a drug trafficker and win elections.

What happened with Juan Orlando Hernandez can happen again.

The case of the ex-president does not push the political class to change their behavior.

Juan Orlando Hernandez is just the tip of the iceberg.

Below him there is a whole system,

not only from the party he controlled when he was president, but also from other political parties, economic groups, military and police.

I believe that this subject will make a lot of noise during the next four years of this new government.

 »

And by way of conclusion, the editorialist of the newspaper

La Prensa

exclaims: “ 

The strengthening of ethics is more urgent than ever in Honduran society 

”.

Panama: the maritime authority rebels against Russia

Three Panamanian-flagged ships were hit by Russian missiles in the Black Sea.

“ 

One of these ships sank due to the damage suffered, without any casualties being reported 

,” reports the daily

Critica

.

“ 

The other two ships are staying afloat.

Crew members are all safe.

 »

In the columns of

La Estrella

, the Panamanian Minister of Maritime Affairs, Noriel Araúz, explains that “ 

the crew of the sunken ship was exclusively made up of Ukrainians who are now all ashore.

The crews of the other two ships affected are made up of members of different nationalities.

 More than ten ships flying the Panamanian flag out of a total of 2 to 300 are currently prevented by Russia from leaving the Black Sea.

“ 

Most of them carry cereals 

,” explains

La Estrella

.

For the moment, no newspaper in Panama has given any reason to explain why the three ships were the target of fire from the Russian army.

In Colombia, a new indigenous leader assassinated

It's already the second in just one month 

," notes

Semana

bitterly .

“ 

This time it is Miller Correa, an indigenous figure in the department of Cauca, sadly known for the violence between paramilitaries, guerrillas and drug traffickers.

The National Indigenous Organization of Colombia denounces a “

despicable and cowardly

” attack and castigates the fact that armed individuals make incursions into their ancestral territories, terrorizing indigenous communities”

.

After this new assassination, the United Nations, the European Union and the embassies of 18 countries demanded that the Colombian government open an investigation and guarantee “ 

collective protection measures for indigenous communities 

”.

El Espectador

announces that “ 

Indigenous authorities, in collaboration with the police and the Attorney General's office, last night captured a man who is believed to be linked to the murder of Miller Correa.

In front of the individual's house, the authorities recognized the car which had been made available to the victim and which the killers had seized on the night of the murder.

 »

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