An uncomfortable truth

Honduras is facing another tragedy that, according to Julio Raudales, could have been anticipated. Communicators, academics and specialized agencies warned last year about the weather threat now confronting the country, but political leaders focused instead on the electoral struggle to remove Libre from power or remain in government.

The country knew 2026 would be difficult. The most rigorous models warned that rain would not arrive on schedule, neither during the April-to-June quarter nor during the late rainy season from September to November. The risk that the phenomenon could continue into next year threatens food security, particularly for the poorest families. A hurricane season is also expected, albeit late, and inadequate preparation could give the end of the year “apocalyptic overtones.”

Raudales directs his sharpest criticism at the state’s preparedness. He says the previous administration dismantled what remained of a preventive system, while the current government has continued that destructive course. Agencies including COPECO, SEDECOAS and CENAOS, he argues, are staffed mainly with activists from the party that won the election, while experience and technical skills receive little consideration.

That failure is especially striking because Honduras has unusually strong natural advantages. Along with Panama, it has the highest rainfall in Central America, receiving almost two cubic meters of water annually, according to the column. The country has four million hectares of mountainous territory suitable for protecting watersheds and building reservoirs, more than one million of them designated protected areas with potential for carbon sales.

Raudales also cites 239 inland aquifer bodies, an annual hydrological supply of about 87,000 cubic hectometers and retention capacity of only 2,300 cubic hectometers a year. His argument is that a country with such water resources should not be facing its current crisis if its administration were more effective and its leaders better prepared and more committed.