Outgoing Honduras president calls for Trump meeting

Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez has called for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss immigration, security and economic development.

The call comes as the United States faces a surge in migration from Central America's Northern Triangle region. Hernandez is scheduled to meet with Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday in Washington.

We know that this year the issue of migration will be at the center, Hernandez said Monday during an event at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington. We are ready and willing, if it were necessary, to have a meeting with President Trump.

Hernandez took office for a second term in January following a contentious election that saw accusations of voter fraud. He is facing trial in his homeland on drug-related charges.

U.S. authorities last month said they had dismantled a large-scale narcotics trafficking organization linked to Hernandez, but he has denied wrongdoing and rejected the allegations as politically motivated.

Trump has made immigration enforcement a cornerstone of his administration and has repeatedly threatened to cut aid to Mexico and Central American nations unless they do more to stop the flow of migrants. Tens of thousands of people have been detained on the U.S.-Mexico border this year.

Hernandez said he was confident that Trump will take action during their meeting, but did not elaborate.

The Honduran government has a lot of interest in seeing if we can get help from the United States to fight against corruption and organized crime, Hernandez said. He noted that Honduras had received $650 million in U.S. assistance last year and wanted more such aid to help improve security.

The president also emphasized the importance of economic development and investment, saying I want my country to have opportunities.

Hernandez took office for a second term in January following a contentious election that saw accusations of voter fraud. He is facing trial in his homeland on drug-related charges.

U.S. authorities last month said they had dismantled a large-scale narcotics trafficking organization linked to Hernandez, but he has denied wrongdoing and rejected the allegations as politically motivated.

Trump has made immigration enforcement a cornerstone of his administration and has repeatedly threatened to cut aid to Mexico and Central American nations unless they do more to stop the flow of migrants. Tens of thousands of people have been detained on the U.S.-Mexico border this year.

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