The U.S. federal government barred previous Honduran President
Juan Orlando Hernández
from entering the nation, and made the choice public as it seeks to enhance ties with the Central American nation as part of efforts to suppress migration to the U.S.The State Department said Monday it included Mr. Hernández on its Corrupt and Undemocratic Actors list in July, pointing out supposed acts of corruption and illegal project financing. People on the list are normally ineligible to acquire visas or entry to the U.S., it said.
He said that under his eight-year administration, the quantity of drugs that travelled through Honduras fell by 83%, while keeping in mind a drop in the countrys homicide rate to 37 per 100,000 residents from 86.4 per 100,000 when he took workplace.
” Its not unforeseen that the U.S. would act versus Juan Orlando Hernández. This has actually been an open speculation for months, the concern was what form would it take,” said
stated in a tweet.
In a declaration published on Twitter, Mr. Hernández stated he was surprised that the U.S. based its choice on media reports “and declarations by drug traffickers and confessed assassins who were extradited by my government or had to leave and hand themselves in to U.S. authorities for fear of being extradited.”
The State Department cited “numerous, reliable media reports” and sworn witness testimony in a U.S. federal criminal proceeding that Mr. Hernández, who left workplace in January, committed or assisted in acts of corruption and drug-trafficking, and utilized drug money as part of his project funding.
vice president of the Council of the Americas and head of the think tanks Washington, D.C., workplace.
Eric Farnsworth,
Mr. Hernández has actually rejected any involvement in drug-trafficking or corruption. He hasnt been charged with any criminal activities.
Antony Blinken
” The United States is advancing openness and accountability in Central America by making public visa constraints against Honduras former president, Juan Orlando Hernández, on account of corrupt actions,” Secretary of State
The Biden administration indicated its objective of enhancing relations with Honduras last month when Vice President
Kamala Harris
participated in the inauguration of
Hondurass very first female president, who succeeded Mr. Hernández.
Xiomara Castro,
The truth that Mr. Hernández has now left office, and the efforts to reset bilateral relations under his successor, likely discuss why the U.S. government is now exposing an action taken formerly, Mr. Farnsworth said.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro, using a sash, and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at the governmental palace in the capital city of Tegucigalpa in January.
Photo:
erin schaff/Press Pool
Last year, Mr. Hernándezs younger brother, Juan Antonio Hernández, was sentenced to life in jail for smuggling more than 200 lots of cocaine to the U.S.
— Juan Carlos Rivera contributed to this post.
” We will continue partnering with Honduran government authorities and members of civil society and the economic sector who show a devotion to combating corruption and enhancing democratic governance, consisting of as part of an overall policy of dealing with the root triggers of irregular migration from the region,” the State Department said Monday.
Write to Anthony Harrup at anthony.harrup@wsj.com
Ms. Castro won November elections in Honduras after campaigning on promises to help end the corruption, poverty and violence that have actually triggered thousands of Hondurans to move to the U.S.
” The timing matters, the significance matters. The Biden administration has actually made anticorruption efforts its leading concern in Central America,” he stated “This is plainly an effort to reveal development because battle.”
The Xiomara Castro government keeps long-term dialogue with the U.S., and will continue a tactical strategy to fight versus corruption,” Mr. Reina said.
Relations between the U.S. and Honduras have been strained by drug-trafficking charges that have actually swirled around the former Honduran president.
Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina said the action against Mr. Hernández is a sovereign decision by the U.S. “based upon its own examinations.”
” We all know the domestic and external criticisms against the acts of the [Hernández] routine that did so much damage to the nation. The Xiomara Castro government preserves long-term discussion with the U.S., and will continue a tactical strategy to combat against corruption,” Mr. Reina stated.
Under the Biden administration, the U.S. has actually seen record numbers of migrants from Central America trying to go into the nation, many of them from Honduras. Near 320,000 Honduran migrants were collared at the U.S. southern border throughout the federal governments 2021 budget calendar year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection information.
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