No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCrimeCorruptionHonduras foreign minister resigns over police murder scandal

Honduras foreign minister resigns over police murder scandal

 TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Honduran Foreign Minister Arturo Corrales resigned on Friday after being mired in a scandal in which a cabal of corrupt top police officers reportedly ordered hits on anti-crime officials.

The office of President Juan Orlando Hernández said the head of state “has today (Friday) accepted the resignation of the secretary for foreign affairs and international cooperation, Arturo Corrales.”

Corrales was Orlando’s security minister during an alleged cover-up of the police involvement, which came to light through recent reporting by the Honduran newspaper El Heraldo.

The daily cited a security ministry document revealing that senior police officers ordered the assassination of Honduras’ top anti-drug official, Arístides González, in December 2009.

It also said the group of police ordered hits on a state prosecutor, Orlando Chávez, in April 2013, and on a former security ministry consultant, Alfredo Landaverde, in December 2014.

The hierarchy of the security ministry in place between 2009 and 2014 covered up the information, the newspaper said.

Corrales was security minister for one year, from January 2014 until January 2015, when he was made foreign minister.

Honduras’ public ministry, which handles state prosecutions, opened an investigation last week after a raid on the police headquarters turned up evidence regarding González’s murder.

The president has asked Congress to approve an emergency decree aimed at accelerating a clean-up of the 12,000-strong police force that has been dragging on for four years now.

That process started in early 2011 when it was discovered that it was riddled with officers working for narcotics cartels, hitmen and other criminals.

Authorities believe more than one in 10 of the officers is dirty and must be booted from the police force.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Allows Cryptocurrency Donations for Political Parties

Costa Rica's electoral authorities have approved a groundbreaking shift, letting political parties accept donations in select cryptocurrencies for the first time. This move, led...

US Revokes Visa of CRHoy Owner Amid Fraud Allegations

The US government revoked the tourist and business visa of Leonel Baruch, the businessman behind Costa Rican news site CRHoy. Reports connect the move...

Costa Rica Bill Targets Public Drinking with Fines and Jail Time

Lawmakers in Costa Rica have put forward a bill to crack down on drinking in public spaces, aiming to cut down on related disturbances...

Costa Rican Hotels Warn of Job Risks Amid Drop in Tourists

Hotels across Costa Rica face mounting pressures as tourist numbers dip and a sluggish dollar exchange rate eats into their earnings. From January to...

Costa Rica 2026 Elections Kick Off: 20 Candidates Vie for Presidency

Costa Rica's electoral season began yesterday with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal's official call for the 2026 national elections. Eugenia Zamora, the TSE president, described...

Costa Rica Updates National ID Card with Enhanced Security Features

Costa Rica's Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) rolled out a redesigned physical identity card today. The update focuses on better protection against fraud while keeping...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica