Honduras Deal With Israel Seen Bolstering Fight Against Organized Crime
RIO DE JANEIRO — Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez announced he will send to Congress a signed agreement with Israel that will enhance his country’s armed forces in an unprecedented way in order to fight organized crime.
“I am sending to Congress a very important agreement with the State of Israel, which is pivotal to the growth of the Honduran nation. It will allow the strengthening of our armed forces with capabilities we have probably never had,” Hernandez declared.
The agreement, which will be now be submitted to the legislature for its approval, was announced in light of the 52nd anniversary of the founding of the army’s second airborne infantry battalion, reported the Spanish-language Iton Gadol news service on Sunday.
The president added he foresees some disagreement in the parliament, but asked lawmakers to finally approve the agreement, under which the Honduran army will count on “cutting-edge technology” from Israel to fight “the highest levels of crime in the last 15 years.”
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO