[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 187 (Thursday, November 21, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6747-S6748]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                HONDURAS

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have spoken previously about the alarming 
rates of corruption, violent crime, and impunity in Honduras. While 
Honduras is by no means unique in this regard, it is a serious concern 
given the challenges it poses not only for the people of Honduras but 
also for the United States.
  Every week, my office receives word of another assassination in 
Honduras of a social leader, environmental activist, indigenous rights 
activist, journalist, or trade unionist. Rarely does a week go by that 
we do not hear about threats against these individuals. Rarely does a 
week go by that we do not receive reports of arbitrary and prolonged 
imprisonment of critics of government policies or practices. While the 
murder of Berta Caceres on March 3, 2016, captured the world's 
attention, that outrageous crime was but one of many targeted killings 
of Hondurans

[[Page S6748]]

who have dared to protest against corruption, infrastructure 
development that threatens their land, water, farms and communities, 
excessive force by the military and police, and the lack of access to 
justice.
  These types of crimes are nothing new in Honduras; in fact, they are 
shockingly common. But they have noticeably increased in frequency 
since the conviction in a New York Federal court on October 18 of Tony 
Hernandez, a notorious drug kingpin and the brother of President Juan 
Orlando Hernandez who was named as an unindicted coconspirator. It begs 
credulity that President Hernandez was completely unaware of the 
actions of his brother or of the reported use of profits from drug 
trafficking to finance his political campaign. Honduras, which was 
already among the most corrupt and dangerous countries in the world for 
those who have dared to challenge the dominance of a tiny elite who 
continue to wield unbridled control over the political and economic 
levers of the country, has become even more corrupt and dangerous.
  Ever since President Hernandez successfully orchestrated his 
reelection to an unprecedented second term, the country has become 
increasingly polarized. Social and political dissent, when the 
government's consistent response is to use force--including lethal 
force--and to misuse the judicial process to silence its critics, fuels 
instability and violence which are among the key drivers of migration. 
This is what we are seeing in Honduras, and the United States shares 
some of the blame as our Embassy and the Department of Defense continue 
to publicly portray their engagement with the Hernandez Government as 
business as usual.
  There is only one person who has the authority and responsibility to 
lead Honduras down a better path, a path toward real stability and a 
culture of lawfulness, and that is President Hernandez. The election of 
his successor is only 2 years away. In the time remaining, President 
Hernandez could use what credibility he has left and take decisive 
action to begin a process of reconciliation aimed at uniting the 
Honduran people in pursuit of the common goals of economic opportunity, 
personal security, and justice. Doing so would require a fundamental 
change of attitude and approach, including installing people in key 
positions of government who have unimpeachable integrity and who 
represent a wide spectrum of Honduran society.
  Absent such enlightened leadership, Honduras will likely remain a 
fractured society, plagued by instability, rampant poverty, violence, 
and impunity. Honduras's democratic institutions will continue to be 
corrupted and eroded, and Hondurans will continue to seek a better, 
safer life outside their country.

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