U.S drug policy is to blame for surge of migrants from Central America

Honduran President Juan Hernandez has blamed U.S. drug policy for sparking violence in Central American countries and driving a surge of migration to the United States, according to an interview published today.

Hernandez, who took office in January after winning on a pledge to be tough on crime, said only a drop in violence would curb the wave of families and unaccompanied minors fleeing Central America.

A surge in minors leaving Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras have overwhelmed temporary detention facilities on the U.S. border.

'Honduras has been living in an emergency for a decade,' Hernandez told Mexican daily newspaper Excelsior.

'The root cause is that the United States and Colombia carried out big operations in the fight against drugs. Then Mexico did it.'

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