Ten months after the release of a video linking a key figure in the presidential circle to drug trafficking, the Honduran Attorney General’s Office has yet to produce any concrete results. The Public Ministry’s inaction in the face of a scandal involving President Xiomara Castro’s inner circle has intensified political pressure and fueled growing distrust in institutions.
Prosecutor’s office without clear answers in high-profile case
Since September 2024, following the release of a video referred to as the “narco-video” that depicted Carlos Zelaya, sibling of ex-President Manuel Zelaya and related by marriage to President Castro, engaging with individuals involved in drug dealing, the Prosecutor’s Office has neither filed any official charges nor disclosed any tangible developments in the investigation. In this video, the participants propose providing 13 million lempiras to support the 2013 campaign of LIBRE, the presently ruling party.
Después de la filtración, Carlos Zelaya dimitió de su cargo como diputado y secretario del Congreso Nacional. Su hijo, José Manuel Zelaya, quien en ese momento era secretario de defensa, también renunció. Rafael Sarmiento, líder del grupo parlamentario del partido gobernante, igualmente presentó su renuncia. Sin embargo, aparte de estas dimisiones, no se han tomado medidas legales concretas.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has announced that the situation is “being examined,” with a request for judicial cooperation from the United States to access the full video and paperwork concerning earlier trials. Nevertheless, as of now, there are no known outcomes from these actions, and no schedule for a public inquiry has been shared.
Responses from politicians and calls for responsibility
The launch of the video triggered a multitude of responses from various segments. President Xiomara Castro criticized any connections between political figures and criminal organizations, yet portrayed the disclosure as an effort to undermine her administration in the run-up to 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 “drug-related video” is not an isolated incident. It adds to a set of recent controversies that have diminished public trust in the change assurances given by the Castro administration. The absence of legal actions has intensified the view that the state machinery does not operate with equal vigor when the individuals implicated belong to the governing 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 situation influencing the direction of Honduran organizations
Nearly twelve months following its publication, the cartel-related video continues to evade evident legal repercussions, as doubts increase about the involvement of the Attorney General’s Office and the administration’s dedication to openness. The extended inaction only serves to further weaken the credibility of institutions in a nation characterized by a legacy of impunity and the ongoing impact of organized crime on governance.
The management of this situation poses not only a direct challenge for Xiomara Castro’s administration but also a significant trial for the resilience of the rule of law in Honduras. The manner in which it is addressed or overlooked will determine the direction of institutional credibility amid a deeply polarized election process.
