Despite charges of voter fraud, Juan Orlando Hernández was elected president of Honduras in late 2013 with full support from the United States.
On Feb. 15, nine years after his election and one month after he left office, Hernández was arrested on charges of drug trafficking at the request of the United States, which has also requested his extradition. Once his power was gone, Hernández, the U.S. ally, instantly became the United States’ enemy. When he served the interests of the United States, Hernández was untouchable.
The real power in Central America is and always will be Washington. Once you no longer serve a purpose, Washington may exhibit that power. Hernández being arrested for drug trafficking by a country that consumes the most drugs in the world is riddled with hypocrisy, but it reminds Central America that the U.S. will always be in charge.
The United States effectively painted Honduras as a backward country, when it is, in fact, a victim of American intervention and condescension. Even now, as the Biden-Harris administration works to end corruption in Central America as a means to end migration, the framing is always the same. Honduras is corrupt. The U.S. is exceptional. Where was that exceptionalism during the Hernández’ administration? The U.S. knew who he was but expressed no problem with him until his arrest.
This American tradition of supporting political criminals will never go away.
Ex-Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández arrested on drug trafficking charges (msnbc.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment