Scandals and drugs in the highest circles of power in Honduras and Japan

A former right-wing president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, has been convicted of drug trafficking by a US court. Despite being a previous ally of the United States in the “war on drugs”, drug traffickers were reportedly being protected by the military, police, judges, prosecutors and politicians. Meanwhile, just a few days after her husband’s conviction, the former First Lady of Honduras, Ana García de Hernández, announced she would run for president of the country in 2025.

In other news, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japan is facing scandals and record low public support due to underreporting the number of donations received, incorrect allocation of money from collections for party activities, and affairs and immoral behaviour of LDP activists during party events. According to a recent survey by Jiji Press, the ruling party’s support has dropped to 14.6%, the lowest result in about 60 years. 

Finally, it has been revealed that Harris Corporation, one of the largest military companies in the US, now L3Harris, paid commissions to a Saudi company for over 20 years. The Saudi company, Arab Builders for Telecommunications and Security Services (ABTSS), was supposed to be a channel for bribes to the Saudi royal family as part of a defence contract with the Saudis. According to British anti-corruption prosecutors, the company gave or received bribes between 2008 and 2010.