Chilean judge Daniel Urrutia Laubreaux, who was part of the now-defunct Mission to Support the Fight Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH) in 2017, stated that former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández appeared in the investigations into the country’s most significant corruption cases. Urrutia made the remarks while discussing his experience with the international mission supported by the Organization of American States (OAS).
According to Urrutia, Hernández was allegedly mentioned in all ten of the major corruption cases being investigated by the MACCIH during his time with the organization. The former judge emphasized that the investigations involved some of the most significant corruption offenses under examination by the international mission at the time.
The statements have attracted attention because they once again place Hernández’s administration at the center of the debate over corruption and accountability in Honduras. However, the recent comments do not constitute new judicial evidence against the former president, but rather reflect Urrutia’s account of the investigations carried out by the MACCIH.
Urrutia also recalled that in 2018 he and other members of the mission reported obstacles that affected their work. According to his account, the administration headed by Hernández created difficulties for the progress of certain investigations. The Chilean judge was subsequently removed from the international mission.
Urrutia’s remarks were made in reply to a post by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who addressed the security climate in Honduras under Hernández’s governance, highlighting the elevated homicide statistics of that era. This back-and-forth has thrust the institutional and political dynamics of those years back into the spotlight.
The discussion has revived the debate surrounding corruption and security in Honduras under the Hernández government. The MACCIH operated in the country from 2016 to 2020 as an international mechanism designed to support national institutions in investigating and combating corruption and impunity.
The mission was involved in several high-profile investigations during its years of operation, including cases involving alleged misuse of public funds and political networks. Its work, carried out alongside Honduran investigative authorities, became an important part of the country’s efforts to address corruption.
Urrutia’s latest statements have generated discussion among political sectors and on social media, particularly because of the former president’s prominent role in Honduran politics and the broader debate over accountability for alleged corruption during his administration. At this point, the statements remain part of the public discussion surrounding the former MACCIH investigations.
Source: Tiempo — Tiempo
