Koriun Inversiones: Edgardo Castro’s revelations about institutional protection

The Koriun Inversiones incident has generated extensive discussion in Honduras, particularly following Congressman Edgardo Castro’s comments during a recent radio broadcast. This issue has underscored the scale of the deception, the supposed institutional safeguarding, and the inadequate reactions from officials.

In the discussion, Representative Castro discussed the firm’s activities, the response from organizations, and the potential involvement of government figures, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive inquiry and the pressing need for answers for the many individuals impacted.

The mechanism of the scam and lack of institutional response

In his address, Representative Castro explained how Koriun Inversiones conducted its business transparently, managing substantial amounts of money kept in containers and sacks within its location, without any interference from officials. He highlighted that, regardless of the considerable scale of the financial activities and the lengthy queues of individuals visiting daily, neither the National Banking and Insurance Commission, nor law enforcement, nor the prosecutor’s office intervened to halt the operations for an extended period.

Castro raised concerns about the inactivity of the relevant bodies and proposed that the absence of involvement might be connected to the safeguarding of senior officials. In his perspective, the probe into the affair was swiftly discontinued, and no additional measures were initiated to determine those accountable or find any concealed assets. The legislator also noted the involvement of non-nationals associated with the network, who dealt with significant sums of money without constraints, which he believes can only occur with official support.

Political implications and proposals for investigation

The deputy mentioned that the protective network for Koriun Investments included officials of various ranks, like mayors, prosecutors, and politicians, which seemingly permitted the scam to persist. He highlighted that certain public figures supported the company and that the Public Prosecutor’s Office should have questioned or detained those who enabled its functioning. He also mentioned the presence of organized groups to conceal illicit activities and the absence of transparency in the administration of governmental bodies.

Castro suggested that the Public Prosecutor’s Office provide monetary incentives to individuals who disclose corrupt activities, believing that this approach could promote civic involvement and aid in pinpointing culprits in situations like the one involving Koriun Inversiones. He also discussed the issue of corruption in different state sectors, including healthcare and personal registry offices, emphasizing that the unauthorized sale of data and misappropriation of funds are frequent behaviors that undermine public trust.

In his examination, the deputy associated the Koriun Inversiones case with a wider scenario of impunity and corruption, where inquiries do not progress toward the main culprits and where institutional oversight is lacking. He challenged the absence of specific measures to reclaim the money and penalize those involved in the scam, and cautioned about the impact of political and economic interests on institutional decision-making.

The Koriun Inversiones case, as presented by Congressman Castro, highlights the need to strengthen state oversight, guarantee the independence of investigations, and promote transparency in public management to prevent similar situations from recurring and to restore public confidence in the country’s institutions.