Former President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández and Family Accused of Amassing Huge Fortune
After eight years in power, an investigation by the CNA has revealed that the fortune of former President Juan Orlando Hernández and his family increased exponentially. The investigation, titled “The Fall of a President,” found that the former presidential family registered at least 109 real estate properties and 11 companies, in addition to 267 million lempiras in investments in commercial companies during JOH’s years in office.
Included in these real estate properties are houses, apartments, land, farms, ranches, buildings, and commercial premises. Some of these assets were acquired jointly with his siblings and wife, Ana García. The companies owned by the family include a real estate and tourism project company, an agricultural company, and a construction company that has participated in public works such as the cable car and the Santo Domingo metro.
Furthermore, the investigation noted that the former first lady, Ana García, sold a house in Miami, United States, in November 2019, worth $1.2 million. The family’s fortune contrasts sharply with the reality of poverty, inequality, and violence experienced by the majority of the Honduran population.
The investigation raises questions about how the Hernández Alvarado and García Carías families managed to obtain so many properties in Honduras and abroad in such a short amount of time. Juan Orlando Hernández was born on October 28, 1968, in the city of Gracias, department of Lempira, and the US Department of Justice has accused him of being part of a conspiracy to transport more than 500 tons of cocaine to the United States.
Before being extradited, Hernández assured that drug traffickers found the “magic key,” referring to the accusations against him from the United States. He maintained that in the fight against drug trafficking, the most effective weapons have been extradition and collaboration with the United States government.
During the investigation, it was also revealed that Honduras had a decline of 18% in terms of controlling corruption during JOH’s years in power, according to the Millennium Challenge Account (MCC). When Hernández assumed his first term, Transparency International rated Honduras as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, ranking it 126 out of 175 nations with 2.9 points out of 10. Eight years later, the score dropped to 2.4 points, making it one of the 23 countries with the least transparency worldwide.
The apparent limitation of financial resources faced by the former president and his family has also come to light. JOH asked for a public lawyer due to his financial situation, and his wife, Ana García, confirmed in an interview that they were experiencing a “difficult financial situation” and did not have the funds to pay for private lawyers. The family’s financial situation was further worsened by the seizure of their properties and assets.
The investigation has brought to light serious allegations against the Hernández Alvarado and García Carías families, shedding light on their wealth acquisition and financial difficulties. The public awaits further developments in this ongoing case.