Honduras presidential candidate arrested on murder, drug-trafficking charges
Issued on: 04/11/2021 - 23:32
Modified: 04/11/2021 - 23:30
Presidential candidate Santos Rodriguez is escorted by Honduran authorities following his arrest over money laundering
AGENCIA TECNICA DE INVESTIGACION CRIMINAL de Honduras/AFP
1 min
Tegucigalpa (AFP) – Honduran authorities on Thursday arrested presidential candidate Santos Rodriguez over accusations of money laundering related to drug-trafficking and homicide, including the murder of a DEA informant.
His arrest comes less than a month ahead of presidential elections in which the main candidates all face accusations of either corruption or drug trafficking.
Outgoing President Juan Orlando Hernandez has himself been accused of drug-trafficking, while his brother Tony Hernandez was in March sentenced to life in prison in New York for the same crime.
Rodriguez, a retired army captain, was not among the favorites for the November 28 election. According to the public ministry he is wanted for "money laundering."
A protected witness also claimed that when Rodriguez carried out operations in his army role and found money or drugs, he "did not declare them in their entirety, keeping part of what was seized and the confiscated weapons were taken to a criminal group."
More:
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211104-honduras-presidential-candidate-arrested-on-murder-drug-trafficking-charges