If the Trump administration and the US Congress truly want to address gang violence and reduce the number of Central American migrants turning to the United States as a safe haven, ending corruption should be at the top of their agenda.
Honduras authorities’ long-running strategy of seizing planes and demolishing landing strips has done little to identify suspects, routes and suppliers, allowing the so-called “narco flights” to continue.
The ruling gives the public appearance of protecting Honduras’ anti-graft body, but in reality, it threatens to weaken its power to move cases forward.
The potential dismantling or weakening of Honduras’ anti-graft body could cast a dark cloud over the future of the fight against corruption.
Trump’s continuing conflation of MS13 activity and immigration to the United States is painting an inaccurate picture of the gang, leading to ineffective and damaging policies.
The head of an international anti-corruption body in Honduras has resigned in protest of what he described as insufficient support from the mission’s parent institution.
Trump has threatened to slash foreign aid, but Congress appears ready to reject his plans when it comes to Latin America security assistance.
El Salvador’s first ever conviction of a mayor for ties to gangs shows that the country’s judicial system has the capacity to take down corrupted officials, but the widespread influence of gangs in politics continues to pose significant challenges.
Several top ministers in Guatemala’s government have resigned and thousands of citizens have flooded the streets to protest recent elite efforts to institutionalize corruption, plunging the country deeper into turmoil and potentially signaling how a wave of domestic pressure could shape the outcome.
Guatemala’s congress is backtracking on an attempt to weaken anti-corruption efforts following massive public outcry and a rapid response by the country’s highest court, indicating that while international pressure has not seemed to deter corrupt political elites from attempting to shield themselves, widespread domestic outrage might.
