Honduras drug scandal will hit election and US ties

Significance

Castro put the move down to controversial comments made by US Ambassador Laura Dogu. Days later, a news outlet published video footage of Castro’s brother-in-law seemingly negotiating a bribe with drug traffickers.

Impacts

• Extradition to the United States is a popular judicial measure in Honduras and its cancellation will be a major election issue.
• The scandal will depress voter turnout in 2025, as all three major parties have now been indelibly tainted by drug crime and corruption.
• The chance of a credible new anti-graft candidate emerging ahead of the elections looks highly remote.
• In the long-term, the cancellation of extradition could reverse many of the security gains made in Honduras over the past decade.