Central America

Honduran judge grants extradition of ex-president Hernandez to US

AFP

A judge in Honduras granted the extradition of former president Juan Orlando Hernandez to the United States, where he is wanted for alleged drug trafficking, the Central American country’s Supreme Court of Justice said on Twitter.

A judge “decided to accept the request for extradition presented by the Court of the Southern District of New York against ex-president of the republic Juan Orlando Hernandez Alvarado,” the court said Wednesday.

The decision can still be appealed within three days of its writing, judiciary spokesman Melvin Duarte said, in which case the Supreme Court’s panel of justices would weigh in.

The former president, who held office from 2014 to 2022, is accused of having facilitated the smuggling of some 500 tons of drugs — mainly from Colombia and Venezuela — to the United States via Honduras since 2004.

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US prosecutors have alleged Hernandez, 53, received millions of dollars from drug traffickers for protection — including from Mexican narco-kingpin Joaquin “Chapo” Guzman.

He faces three charges: conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the United States, using or carrying firearms including machine guns, and conspiracy to use or carry firearms.

New York prosecutors linked the former president to the crimes during the trial of his brother, former Honduran congressman Tony Hernandez, who in March 2021 was sentenced to life in prison in the United States for drug trafficking.

Hernandez’s lawyers claimed the “United States has not sent any sufficient and irrefutable evidence” linking the former president to drug-trafficking.

But Duarte said that only a “minimal burden of proof” was required to approve extradition requests

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Hernandez, a right-wing lawyer, departed office on January 26 when leftist Xiomara Castro became president.

Before his eight-year presidency, Hernandez had led the country’s Congress, taking a pro-US stance and supporting Washington’s fight against drug trafficking.

“Today is a very sad day for our family… I repeat to the whole world and all of Honduras, my husband is innocent, he is a victim of a conspiracy and the vengeance of drug-traffickers who were once extradited from this country,” said Hernandez’s wife Ana Garcia.

She said those drug-traffickers were striking plea bargains by implicating Hernandez.

Controversy has never been far away from Hernandez since he entered politics.

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Re-election is banned by the Honduran constitution, but Hernandez was allowed to stand for a second consecutive time in 2017 following a ruling by the Supreme Court.

His subsequent victory, after initially trailing opponent Salvador Nasralla by five percentage points with more than half of the votes counted, sparked accusations of fraud.

He has been held in custody since surrendering to police on February 15, a day after Washington requested his extradition.

Wearing a smart suit, Hernandez arrived at court surrounded by a contingent of special forces police, who also accompanied him back to prison after his hearing.

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Central America

U.S. and Guatemala Sign Trade Deal Granting Zero Tariffs to Most Exports

The United States signed a reciprocal trade agreement with Guatemala on Friday, under which 70.4% of Guatemalan exports will enter the U.S. market tariff-free.

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo highlighted the importance of the agreement, stating that it creates a framework of cooperation, certainty, and new opportunities for producers, workers, and entrepreneurs in the country. His remarks were shared in a video published on his official social media channels.

In 2025, 30.3% of Guatemala’s total exports were destined for the United States, amounting to approximately $4.3 billion. As a result, the agreement is expected to directly benefit key sectors of the Guatemalan economy, including agribusiness, manufacturing, and the textile industry.

“Today we have taken another step toward consolidating a country that, when it moves forward united, generates confidence, attracts investment, and creates real development opportunities for all its people,” Arévalo added.

The agreement with Guatemala follows a similar trade deal signed by the United States with El Salvador on Thursday, which includes the elimination of a 10% tariff on Salvadoran imports.

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Central America

Panama Supreme Court Strikes Down Panama Ports Concession as Unconstitutional

Panama’s Supreme Court of Justice has ruled unconstitutional the concession contract granted in 1997 to Panama Ports Company (PPC), a subsidiary of the Chinese conglomerate CK Hutchison, which operates two strategic ports along the interoceanic canal. The decision was announced on Thursday, January 29, 2026, following two lawsuits filed by the Comptroller General’s Office.

The ruling directly affects the management of the ports of Balboa, on the Pacific coast, and Cristóbal, on the Atlantic side, both of which have been operated by the company for nearly three decades. According to Panama’s Comptroller General, Anel Flores, an audit uncovered irregularities in the contract that resulted in more than $1.3 billion failing to enter state coffers.

“It is a predatory contract, abusive to the interests of the country,” Flores stated.

The Supreme Court determined that Law 5 of 1997, its subsequent amendments, and the automatic extension granted in 2021 are unconstitutional. The ruling noted that the contract renewal took place without adequate oversight and amid allegations of corruption, despite the Panamanian state holding only a 10% stake in the company.

Central America

Guatemala President Says Starlink Terminal Found Inside Prison

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo revealed on Tuesday that a Starlink terminal was discovered inside a prison in the country, highlighting corruption and the illegal introduction of advanced communication technology into the penitentiary system.

Arévalo did not specify which prison the device was found in but stressed that Starlink’s ability to connect directly to low-orbit satellites makes it particularly difficult to disrupt, posing a serious security risk.

The disclosure was made during a press conference attended by Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda and Defense Minister Henry Sáenz.

On January 6, specialized units of Guatemala’s National Civil Police (PNC), members of the Army and prison security personnel carried out Operation Sentinel at the Renovación 1 Maximum Security Prison for Men, located in Escuintla. According to the Interior Ministry, the operation aimed to reduce criminal activity, prevent illicit acts and stop the trafficking of prohibited items inside the prison.

During the operation, authorities also dismantled businesses operating near several prisons after detecting routers that were allegedly used to redirect internet signals into penitentiary facilities, according to local outlet Emisoras Unidas.

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Tensions escalated further over the weekend of January 17 and 18, when inmates affiliated with gangs staged riots in three prisons. During the unrest, they took prison guards and a psychologist hostage, demanding extra-large beds, air conditioning, transfers to other facilities and access to the internet.