New Honduran leader sworn in, urges more US help

[Judi Lynn]

1. New Honduras president takes helm, criticizes U.S. drug policy

New Honduras president takes helm, criticizes U.S. drug policy
January 27, 2014 - 19:23
By Gustavo Palencia

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduras' new president, former Congress head Juan Hernandez, took office on Monday, calling U.S. drug policy a "double standard" and urging U.S. President Barack Obama to recognize the joint effort required to end the region's drug scourge.

Hernandez, of the ruling National Party, overcame the wife of ousted former leftist leader Manuel Zelaya in November's disputed presidential election on a pledge to use the military to clean up the blood-soaked country.

Decades of gang warfare, weak institutions and endemic corruption have provided fertile ground for cartels to expand their operations in Honduras, using the country as a pit-stop for United States-bound cocaine.

But in his comments, delivered after being sworn in as president, Hernandez said the United States had not kept up its side of the bargain in the war on drugs, noting that Central America was suffering as a result of U.S. drug consumption.

More:
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/New_Honduras_president_takes_helm,_criticizes_U.S._drug_policy.html?cid=37826448