On Monday, July 26, the oral part of the Pandora trial will take place, one of the most emblematic cases of corruption in Honduras. Brought to justice by UFERCO, a unit of brave local prosecutors specializing in the prosecution of this type of crime, the Pandora case illustrates the impact of the misappropriation of public funds on the aggravation of inequalities in the country.
Honduras has the largest wealth disparity in Latin America. The recent increase in corruption scandals investigated by the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH) adds to this context and highlights the gulf between the political sphere and the entire Honduran population.
Despite numerous denunciations and advocacy initiatives, including those led by the Center for Democracy Studies (Centro de Estudio para la Democracia, CESPAD), corruption persists. The consequences of this are major: significant emigration and an alarming 66% of Hondurans living below the poverty line. Infiltrated to the highest level of the government structure, corruption plagues public service, public institutions and even the electoral system.
In the fight against impunity and corruption, every step forward counts
Although political and judicial interference make the fight against corruption difficult for civil society, some progress has been possible with the help of Lawyers Without Borders Canada (LWBC) and its partners through MACCIH.
CESPAD together with the law firm “Bufete Justicia para los Pueblos” filed two actions of unconstitutionality to fight corruption, in particular to hold those responsible for the Pandora case accountable for their actions.
The work of our partner C-Libre has also made it possible for the Supreme Court of Justice to declare part of the Intelligence Law unconstitutional, which promotes the protection of the right of access to public information.
In order to sustain these legal advances, it is essential to put national actors at the center of the fight. LWBC has encouraged greater involvement of civil society in strengthening the public anti-corruption system. Moreover, CESPAD has published a survey on the subject.