Welcome to Contracorriente 2023!

 On Today's Boletin

🗞️The State of Exception extended for another month

🗞️Honduras Supreme Court Election: Why is it so important this year? 

Honduras' Guapinol mining project, condemned by the government but defended by top government officials

Exclusive Interview with Undersecretary Uzra Zeya

The State of Exception continues

The Honduran government decided to start the year by extending the state of exception declared on December 6, 2023, until February 20, 2023. The measure aims at addressing crime and extortion in the most dangerous neighborhoods of the country by giving security forces more power and suspending the constitutional rights of citizens.

 The security tactic seems to have come from El Salvador, which has been under the State of Exception for almost 10 months. However, in Honduras, the measure has been less aggressive, with only 650 arrests in its first month, compared to the 16,000 arrests registered in the first month of El Salvador’s state of exception. The state of exception in Honduras is also considered partial since it only applies to the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country. Regardless, human rights groups argue that the measure does not address the main root of crime and only marginalizes communities that are already at risk. 

The Castro administration introduced the state of exception in a security plan that aimed specifically at addressing extortion, but experts claim that the source of extortion is found in prison, where gang members run criminal enterprises and extortion call centers. 

Despite the extension of the state of the exception, it is yet too early to see how the measure will shape Honduras’ security and civil society. 

A highly important Supreme Court Election

Last November, Honduras initiated its Supreme Court election process. The process is composed of many bureaucratic procedures but the action begins with the Junta Nominadora [Nominating Board] which is in charge of vetting all the candidates and sending a list of at least 45 candidates to the National Congress for election. The nominating board is composed of representatives from a variety of sectors, including members from the national college of lawyers, civil society, the Honduran council of private business (COHEP), the Workers Confederation, and others. 

The board demonstrated a good job of following the protocols and guidelines stipulated by the nominating process. Last week, the finalized list of 45 candidates was sent to the National Congress, and out of those 45, only 15 will be elected as Supreme Court Justices or magistrates as they are known in Honduras. 

Experts and political analysts claim that this year the election of the Supreme Court is more important than ever. According to Ursula Indachochea, Lawyer for the Due Process Foundation, an organization that advocates for the rule of law and access to human rights, this year's Supreme Court nomination is crucial due to its role in fighting Honduras’ “endemic corruption”. Indachochea explained that it is important to uphold a supreme court as an independent body in order to regulate the unchecked political power of Honduran political actors. 

The court will also play an important role in establishing the International Commission against Impunity in Honduras (CICIH). Victor Fernandez, lawyer and expert on Honduran law, explained that in the past years, the Supreme Court enabled impunity and corruption, thus this year the election of 15 candidates will decide what path will Honduras take.

In the initial list of 185 candidates, the nominating board was able to eliminate most of the candidates with criminal records, drug-trafficking ties, and legal disputes but some made it to the final list due to the dismissal of their records. Now it is up to the National Congress to appoint the best. 

Interested in the 45 candidates and their past? Check this database created by Contracorriente (In Spanish) 🌎

The Other Side Of Migration: The confusion around Title 42

🚌 Despite the federal court issuing the end of Title 42 by the end of December, the policy is still in place after the U.S Supreme Court decided to hear the arguments of Republican-led states to keep Title 42. A final decision has not been made, but the policy is expected to be in place for some months while the court reviews the case. 

🚌Meanwhile, President Biden has announced that migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela will receive special humanitarian parole. This is after the United States prevented them from getting asylum on grounds of Title 42 and sent them back to Mexico. The parole will allow them to enter and stay in the United States when they are approved for special parole. 

Stay tuned for our migration podcast Migration Matters next week!!

🌎 Central America and Mexico News Roundup 🇭🇳

🇸🇻 El Salvador 

According to El Salvador’s Minister of Finance, Alejandro Zelaya, the country has repaid an $800 million debt bond. President Bukele and Minister Zelaya both highlighted on Twitter that despite the “disinformation campaign” from the international media, El Salvador's economic situation is improving.

🇲🇽 Mexico 

The trial of Mexico’s former security chief began this week in a Brooklyn court. The officer is accused of aiding the Sinaloa Cartel and taking millions of dollars in bribes.

🇬🇹 Guatemala

The Guatemalan government has announced that it will launch a criminal investigation against Ivan Velasquez, the current defense minister of Colombia and former head of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). Many see this as an attempt by the Guatemalan government to undermine past and future anti-corruption efforts. 

The investigation has created diplomatic conflict between Guatemala and Colombia, after Colombian president, Gustavo Petro stated that he will not sign any extradition order and will consult with the ambassador for further action

Message from the Editor!

Hello everyone! 

Thank you for starting this year with us and we hope to continue informing you about Honduras and the Central American region, throughout the year! Happy 2023!! Thank you for reading and see you all the next time! Don't forget to share the newsletter and support independent journalism 💪!! 

Saludos ,

Jorge Paz Reyes 

English Content Editor

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