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Read the full article: JOHonduras (shorthandstories.com)

Over a span of twelve years (2010-2022), the United States collaborated with a corrupt drug trafficking regime in Honduras to advance its economic and military interests in the region. Despite its recent legal actions against former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández (JOH) for drug trafficking and weapons charges, the U.S. has failed to acknowledge its longstanding support for JOH. This omission reflects a historical pattern of U.S. intervention in Honduras, which has undermined democracy and contributed to the country's transformation into a narco-state under JOH's rule.

The trial against JOH represents a significant moment, with the U.S. government holding its former ally accountable for his crimes. However, it overlooks the U.S.'s own role in JOH's rise to power, including providing funding, weapons, and training to security forces involved in human rights abuses against Honduran citizens. This complicity underscores a paradox in U.S. foreign policy: a pursuit of justice that ignores its own involvement in undermining democratic values.

Anne Milgram, the DEA Administrator, highlighted JOH's central role in a large-scale cocaine trafficking conspiracy, financed by drug proceeds to support his political career and furthered through the resources of the Honduran government. This narrative sheds light on the broader implications of U.S. involvement in Honduras, revealing a complex interplay between economic interests, democratic principles, and the pursuit of justice.

 

News Article

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was recently found guilty of drug-trafficking in a New York court, revealing the complicity of the U.S. and Canada in supporting his regime for over 12 years. The Under the Shadow podcast series discusses the U.S.-backed military coup in 2009 and subsequent support for the narco regime. Karen Spring, a former Rights Action colleague, provides insight into the trial, exposing the regime's violence and corruption, enabled by U.S. and Canadian support. The trial highlights the failure of the "war on drugs," institutional corruption, media complicity, and the challenges faced by the new Honduran government in repairing the damage. Despite this, there is a lack of accountability for the actions of U.S. and Canadian governments, leaving the Honduran population to suffer the consequences of their support for oppressive regimes.

News Article
  • An Indigenous woman from the Inga community in the Condagua reservation in Putumayo, Colombia, is leading the struggle against a Canadian mining company that plans to mine the community’s sacred mountains for copper and molybdenum.
  • Within Soraida Chindoy’s territory is the Doña Juana-Chimayoy páramo, where eight rivers have their source and where there are 56 lagoons. The site, where the Amazon rainforest and the Andes meet, is sacred to the Indigenous population.
  • Her campaign against mining was borne of tragedy.
News Article

What’s new? With its “total peace” policy, the Colombian government aims to engage all the country’s armed groups in talks, but it has no dialogue under way with the largest armed criminal outfit, the Gaitanista Self-Defence Force. This gap is significant, given the Gaitanistas’ deep pockets and their drive to expand. 

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