Ex-Honduran president appears in US court on drugs charges

AFP

Ex-Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez made his first appearance before a US judge Friday following his extradition to America to face drug trafficking charges.

The 53-year-old appeared in a New York federal court via video-link after he was brought to the United States on Thursday.

Hernandez is accused of aiding the smuggling of hundreds of tons of cocaine to America in return for millions of dollars in bribes from drug-traffickers.

Hernandez was not required to enter a plea during the short hearing. His lawyers did not make a request for bail but said they would at a later date.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

Judge Stewart Aaron set a date of May 10 for Hernandez’s arraignment, when the former leader will be expected to say whether he will challenge the charges.

Hernandez, whose 2014 to 2022 stint as president was plagued by allegations of corruption, risks spending the rest of his life in prison if convicted.

He is accused of having facilitated the smuggling of some 500 tons of cocaine — mainly from Colombia and Venezuela — to America via Honduras since 2004, starting long before his presidency.

In turn, he received “millions of dollars in bribes… from multiple narcotrafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico and other places,” US prosecutors allege.

Hernandez has been charged with three counts of drug and weapons offenses.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

Not even three weeks after leaving office following elections, a warrant was issued for his arrest at Washington’s request, and he surrendered to police on February 15.

He was then held at a police special forces prison in the capital Tegucigalpa before he was taken to the US on a Drug Enforcement Administration plane.

Hernandez portrayed himself as an ally of the US war on drugs during his tenure, helping to extradite several narcotics kingpins.

Washington even supported his re-election in 2017 despite a constitutional one-term limit and accusations of voting fraud.

But several drug traffickers since told US prosecutors they had paid bribes to the president’s inner circle, and by the time he left office, US drug enforcers were ready to move against Hernandez.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

Panama seizes over 1,200 drug packages in container bound for Lithuania

Authorities in Panama reported the seizure of 1,251 packages of suspected drugs hidden inside a shipping container bound for Lithuania, just days after intercepting another shipment of similar size headed to the same destination.

The Panama Public Prosecutor’s Office stated on social media that, through its Colón Drug Prosecutor’s Office and in coordination with the National Anti-Drug Directorate, authorities carried out the operation. The illicit substance was discovered inside a container scheduled for export.

Last Friday, officials also seized 1,506 packages of drugs in another container destined for Lithuania.

While authorities have not specified the type or exact weight of the seized substance, drug packages in Panama typically weigh around one kilogram each, and cocaine remains the most commonly confiscated narcotic in the country.

So far this year, Panamanian authorities have reported multiple drug seizures. Among them was a shipment of 5,356 packages intercepted on January 17, when agents of the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) stopped a vessel near the Pearl Islands archipelago in the Pacific.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

According to official figures, in 2025 Panama seized 129 tons of drugs and 47.8 tons of chemical precursors, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat international drug trafficking.

Central America

Guatemala narrows emergency measures to hardest-hit gang violence areas

The government of Guatemala has narrowed the scope of its state of emergency to the areas most affected by gang violence, Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda announced on Thursday.

The measure comes two months after coordinated attacks attributed to the Barrio 18 left 11 police officers dead.

President Bernardo Arévalo initially imposed a state of siege in mid-January following the violence, which was reportedly in retaliation for government intervention in three prisons where gang leaders had staged uprisings.

That measure, which allowed arrests without a warrant, expired after one month. It was then replaced by a less restrictive “state of prevention,” alongside an increased security deployment in Guatemala City and surrounding areas.

According to Villeda, the state of prevention has been extended for two additional weeks but will now apply primarily to the central department of Guatemala — home to the capital — and Escuintla, which have recorded the highest levels of homicides and criminal activity.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

“We need to continue these joint operations between the police and the military to maintain control,” the minister said.

The measure will also remain in effect in border departments including Petén, San Marcos and Huehuetenango, which border Mexico, as well as Izabal, which borders Honduras and Belize, in an effort to prevent the entry of criminal groups linked to drug trafficking.

Villeda added that in the past two weeks, homicides have dropped by 25% and extortion cases by 33% compared to the same period in 2025.

Central America

Costa Rica closes embassy in Cuba, citing human rights concerns

The government of Costa Rica announced on Wednesday the closure of its embassy in Cuba, a move that signals a further deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Foreign Minister Arnoldo André confirmed that Costa Rica has also requested the withdrawal of Cuban diplomatic personnel from San José, leaving only consular representation in place.

According to André, the decision is driven by concerns over the worsening human rights situation on the island, including increased repression against citizens and opposition figures.

He also noted that Cuba’s ongoing economic and social crisis—marked by shortages of food, medicine, and basic services—has made the operation of the embassy increasingly difficult.

President Rodrigo Chaves backed the measure, stating that his administration does not recognize the legitimacy of Cuba’s political system.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

In response, the Cuban government rejected the decision, calling it a “unilateral” move taken under pressure from United States.

“Under pressure from the United States, Costa Rica has limited its relations with Cuba to consular matters,” Cuba’s Foreign Ministry said, describing the action as “arbitrary.”

Despite the diplomatic setback, Cuban authorities stated that historical ties between the two nations would endure.