Why the Drug War Endures: Local and Transnational Linkages in the North and Central America Drug Trades

Honduras has been Central America’s focal point for drug trafficking towards the United States years as region’s main transit country. Recent court cases held in have revealed symbiotic relationship between state actors, business elites and organisations contemporary Honduras, uncovering blurred boundaries licit illicit, upper underworld In this article, a drug-trafficking family – ‘Los Cachiros’ transportista (transport) group is analysed case study with aim of exploring actors’ involvement cocaine trafficking. Drawing on publicly available official judicial documents, article explores interpenetrations formal informal institutions country, arguing that trade goes far beyond protection, evolved into powerful network public, private criminal actors able to capture state’s basic sovereign functions protecting promoting their own interests. doing so, takes forward state-crime nexus literature. Building Hall’s (2018) networked approach illicit economies, proposes conceptual framework re-theorise transnationally set relations, which considers role external states power within country’s nexus. Looking at unique States, I argue concept useful understand transnational actor Honduran