Latin America: Former presidents behind bars for corruption and drug trafficking

The former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, became the latest Latin American political leader to face the consequences of his actions as he was sentenced to 45 years in prison and 5 years of probation for drug trafficking. This sentence marks a sad milestone in a long list of former regional leaders who have ended up behind bars or facing trials for drug-related or corruption crimes, either in the United States or in their own countries after being extradited. This grim picture is not new in Latin America. The first to be tried in the U.S. was Manuel Antonio Noriega, former dictator of Panama, who in 1992 received a 40-year prison sentence. He was followed by former rulers of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Venezuela, highlighting the depth of corruption and drug trafficking that have permeated the region. It is important to note that this list of former political leaders does not include well-known civilian 'capos' like Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán in Mexico or Dairo Antonio Úsuga, 'Otoniel', in Colombia, who have also faced U.S. justice for their criminal activities. These cases highlight the complex network of relationships between politics and organized crime in the region. In the case of Panama, both Noriega and former president Ricardo Martinelli have been involved in judicial scandals. Noriega served part of his sentence in prisons in the United States, France, and his own country, while Martinelli was extradited from the U.S. to Panama in 2017 and was recently sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in prison in the 'New Business' case. In Honduras, the fate of Juan Orlando Hernández took a decisive turn when he was extradited to the United States in 2022 and subsequently convicted of drug trafficking. In Guatemala, former president Alfonso Portillo faced money laundering charges in the United States. Meanwhile, in Mexico, Genaro García Luna, former Secretary of Public Security, was arrested for ties to the Sinaloa cartel, and in Venezuela, Cliver Alcalá Cordones was convicted of narco-terrorism. The fight against corruption and drug trafficking in Latin America remains a constant challenge, with cases like that of former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo, who was extradited from the U.S. to his country to face accusations of receiving bribes from the Brazilian company Odebrecht. These events underscore the urgent need to strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law in the region to prevent new leaders from succumbing to the temptations of illegality and impunity.