Thousands protest against Honduras president

Date created : 06/04/2019 - 10:11
Latest update : 07/04/2019 - 09:01



Protestors march to demand the resignation of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez AFP


Tegucigalpa (AFP)

Thousands of people marched through the streets of the Honduran capital Friday night demanding the resignation of President Juan Orlando Hernandez and an investigation of him and his family.

The protestors, from the so-called Movimiento Indignados (Indignant Movement) and numbering around 5,000 according to reporters, shouted "get out J.O.H.," as they marched to the public prosecutor's office.

"We demand the immediate removal of Juan Orlando Hernandez from the post he is currently usurping, as well as an urgent investigation of him and his family circle and political associates," the movement said in a statement.

It alleged Hernandez has links to people accused of corruption and drug trafficking, including his brother Antonio Hernandez, a former lawmaker who was arrested in Miami, Florida on November 23 and is accused of "large-scale drug trafficking."

More:
https://www.france24.com/en/20190406-thousands-protest-against-honduras-president

Pepe Lobo, last president before the current one:

Corruption Probe Catches Up With Former Honduras President Porfirio Lobo
BRIEFWritten by Felipe Puerta - FEBRUARY 7, 2019
Elites and Organized Crime
Honduras

The latest in a series of investigations involving former Honduras President Porfirio Lobo, his family and associates for corruption and drug trafficking pits the Attorney General’s Office directly against Lobo as it investigates him for diverting public funds.

On February 4, the National Anti-Corruption Council (Consejo Nacional Anticorrupción – CNA) submitted accusations against Lobo to the Special Prosecution Unit Against Impunity for Corruption (Unidad Fiscal Especial Contra la Impunidad de la Corruption – UFECIC), which is part of the Attorney General’s Office. The CNA accused Lobo of misappropriating as much as $1 million in government funds.

According to the CNA, the funding was supposed to be used for implementing social programs managed by the board of directors of the National Children’s Trust (Consejo Directivo del Patronato Nacional de Infancia – CODIPANI). However, the former president and former first lady, Rosa Elena Bonilla de Lobo — who is currently in pretrial detention — allegedly diverted the money in a series of withdrawals from CODIPANI in June 2013 to pay for presidential security.

In response, Lobo held a press conference during which he said a journalist friend of his had already informed him of the investigation shortly before the CNA went public with it. He added that the accusations came from “pressure from above” and that he “would never take a cent from the poor.”

In an interview with Proceso Digital, Attorney General’s Office spokesperson Yuri Mora stated that the office is in the process of analyzing the evidence that the CNE provided.

InSight Crime Analysis
Lobo’s presidency was riddled with criminal investigations and court cases against many members of his inner circle. But if the Attorney General’s Office confirms the CNA’s accusations, it could be the first time a criminal investigation directly targets the former president himself — despite what past speculation may have claimed.

More:
https://www.insightcrime.org/news/brief/corruption-probe-catches-former-honduras-president-porfirio-lobo/