Honduras to buy Ukrainian drones to fight drug trafficking

Honduran President Nasry Asfura announced on Monday that the country plans to purchase drones from Ukraine as part of its efforts to combat drug trafficking and strengthen border security. The announcement comes as Honduras grapples with organized crime, gang violence, and drug trafficking networks that pose major security challenges.

Asfura met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv last week. During their talks, Zelensky offered cooperation in military technology, particularly drone systems, as Ukraine seeks to expand partnerships beyond Europe while showcasing capabilities developed during its war with Russia.

Speaking to AFP in Panama City at the General Assembly of the Organization of American States, Asfura said the technology could help authorities monitor remote areas and target criminal activity. "We are talking about drones to protect our borders, to efficiently guard our borders, to fight against organized crime with high-tech equipment," he said. Asfura added that Ukraine "can help us a lot to further secure our borders and fight drug trafficking" and described it as "a matter of national security."

Ukraine has become a global reference point in drone warfare since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Ukrainian forces have relied heavily on unmanned systems for surveillance, targeting, and long-range attacks, driving rapid advances in military drone technology. Zelensky highlighted this expertise during the meeting, saying: "In terms of security today, in military and drone technologies, Ukraine is one of the strongest in the world. And I know this interests you."

Honduras has long been used as a transit route for cocaine shipments from South America and increasingly faces concerns over local coca cultivation and cocaine-processing operations. Security forces have discovered plantations and laboratories in remote regions, raising fears that the country is evolving from a trafficking corridor into a more active part of the narcotics production chain.

The drug trade operates alongside powerful criminal groups, including gangs MS-13 and Barrio 18, linked to extortion, violence, and territorial control. Honduras has a homicide rate of around 24 per 100,000 inhabitants, nearly four times the global average. Last month alone, 19 people were killed in a community affected by disputes over drug routes, and five police officers were killed near the Guatemalan border in an attack blamed on suspected narcotraffickers.

The proposed drone purchase is part of a broader effort by Honduras to strengthen security cooperation with foreign partners. The country's armed forces recently said they were discussing possible anti-crime operations with the United States, while Asfura noted that Ukrainian drones could also be used for civilian purposes such as agriculture.