Almost a year has gone by since a video implicated an important person close to the president in drug-related activities, yet the Honduran Attorney General’s Office has not delivered tangible outcomes. The lack of response by the Public Ministry concerning a controversy involving those close to President Xiomara Castro has heightened political tension and increased skepticism about the institutions.
Prosecutor’s office without clear answers in high-profile case
Since September 2024, when a video known as the “narco-video” was released showing Carlos Zelaya, brother of former President Manuel Zelaya and brother-in-law of President Castro, in a meeting with drug traffickers, the Prosecutor’s Office has not issued any formal charges or reported any verifiable progress in the case. In the recording, the interlocutors offer 13 million lempiras to finance the 2013 campaign of LIBRE, the party currently in power.
After the leak, Carlos Zelaya resigned from his position as deputy and secretary of the National Congress. His son, José Manuel Zelaya, who was then secretary of defense, did the same. Rafael Sarmiento, head of the ruling party’s parliamentary group, also resigned. However, beyond these departures, there have been no concrete legal actions.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has reported that the case is “under review,” with a request for legal assistance from the United States to obtain the complete video and documentation related to previous trials. However, to date, no results of these efforts are known, nor has a public investigation timetable been presented.
Political reactions and demands for accountability
The release of the video sparked a wave of reactions from different sectors. President Xiomara Castro condemned any links between political actors and criminal structures, but framed the leak as an attempt to destabilize her government ahead of the 2025 elections.
However, for anti-corruption organizations and opposition sectors, the scandal has called into question the integrity of LIBRE’s political project. Several actors have even demanded the president’s resignation, arguing that the case contradicts her discourse of breaking with the past and fighting against the narco-state.
These roles demonstrate increasing strain within the country’s political sphere, where demands for responsibility conflict with an institutional reaction seen as inadequate. The absence of definitive measures by the Public Prosecutor’s Office has driven the story of impunity in situations concerning individuals linked to power.
Deterioration of institutions amidst a polarized electoral environment
The “narco-video” has not been an isolated episode. It joins a series of recent scandals that have weakened public confidence in the promises of change made by the Castro administration. The lack of judicial responses has reinforced the perception that the state apparatus does not act with the same force when those involved are part of the ruling party.
With general elections scheduled for November 2025, this case takes on strategic importance. The opposition has begun to capitalize on the government’s erosion, while the ruling party seeks to minimize the impact of the scandal on its public narrative. In this scenario, social demands for transparency and justice remain a constant source of pressure.
A case that sets the tone for Honduran institutions
Almost a year after its release, the narco-video remains without visible legal consequences, while questions mount about the role of the Attorney General’s Office and the government’s commitment to transparency. The prolonged lack of action contributes to further undermining the legitimacy of institutions in a country marked by a history of impunity and the persistent influence of organized crime in politics.
The handling of this case represents not only an immediate challenge for the government of Xiomara Castro, but also a critical test for the strength of the rule of law in Honduras. How it is resolved or ignored will set the course for institutional credibility in the face of a highly polarized electoral process.