ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST: HONDURAN MINISTER OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 001376

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INL/C, INL/PC, INL/LP, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2015
TAGS: KCRM KJUS PHUM PGOV PREL PINR HO KPOA
SUBJECT: ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST: HONDURAN MINISTER OF
JUSTICE CHARGED IN MIGRATION SCANDAL.


Classified By: Political Counselor Francisco Palmieri;
reasons 1.4(b) and (d

1.(C) The Special Prosecutor for Organized Crime brought a
charge of abuse of authority against ex-Minister of
Government Jorge Ramon Hernandez Alcerro on June 14, 2005.
The indictment is for authorizing the departure from Honduras
of an 18 year old without the consent of both parents. The
abuse of authority charge could result in a penalty of 3-6
years imprisonment. The Special Prosecutor for Organized
Crime, Doris Aguilar, told Attorney General Ovidio Navarro
that she has sufficient evidence to charge Hernandez Alcerro
for his involvement in the Migration and Passport scandal.
Alcerro responded by attacking the prosecutor and the Public
Ministry for being unprofessional and politically motivated.
President Ricardo Maduro stated that the investigator's
office should be working on more serious cases.


2. (C) Attorney General Navarro told Emboff that he told
Aguilar to proceed, despite the wrath of his own party - the
National Party. Navarro says that Members of the National
Congress and others are demanding his resignation because he
has supported his prosecutors who are aggressively
investigating corruption. Prosecutor Doris Aguilar stated
that this is the first (and easiest) of a series of charges
against Hernandez Alcerro for money laundering and
immigration violations. She knows that her actions will be
criticized, but says that she has Navarro's full support.


3. (C) COMMENT: Navarro is in a difficult position. It is
the Embassy's publicly stated opinion that any effort to
remove or to pressure the investigators to stop their
corruption investigations would send a detrimental message to
the international community about Honduras' commitment to
rule of law. It would also suggest complicit corrupt
behavior by those seeking to influence the investigations.
Although Navarro and the Maduro administration have publicly
denied any pressure to end or disrupt the investigations,
privately, Navarro told Emboff that he may tender his
resignation or at least offer it to remove himself from the
situation. END COMMENT.
Palmer