US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA1272

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Identifier:	03TEGUCIGALPA1272
Wikileaks:	View 03TEGUCIGALPA1272 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Tegucigalpa
Created:	2003-06-04 17:13:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	OIIP PREL KPAO PGOV IZ HO
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001272 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/PDA (MBUCKLEY); WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, PREL, KPAO, PGOV, IZ, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON DRUG TRAFFICKING, JUNE 3, 2003 
 
1. Editorial on liberal daily "La Tribuna", Tegucigalpa based 
6/3   entitled:  "Plastic  Jails".  If  Honduras   does   not 
demonstrate  a  serious interest on the  fight  against  drug 
trafficking,  it  could become an issue which  may  harm  the 
relationship  between Honduras and the  United  States.  This 
happened to Guatemala, which has recently been accused  of  a 
serious  lack  of  compliance  to  international  regulations 
concerning this issue. 
 
Honduras  worked closely with the United States in the  fight 
against drug trafficking. Now, there are more severe laws  to 
penalize   narco  trafficking,  as  well  as  other  criminal 
activities  related  to  drug  trafficking,  such  as   money 
laundering. 
 
However, there is no point if the Honduran authorities arrest 
and convict people responsible of such actions if the bars of 
its  jails are made of plastic. This situation could be  much 
worse  if  it is true that some authorities have collaborated 
in  the  escape  of these criminals, as in the  case  of  two 
convicted drug dealers who escaped when they were taken  back 
to prison under police custody. 
 
Pierce