Roger Stone, Honduras, and the Libertarian Dream (or Nightmare) of Prospera
Roger Stone, a figure synonymous with right-wing political maneuvering and often outlandish ideas, has found himself embroiled in a peculiar international scheme involving a convicted drug trafficker, a controversial libertarian enclave, and the potential for further instability in Honduras. This time, Stone is advocating for the pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, currently imprisoned in the United States for drug trafficking, with the apparent aim of reviving a failing libertarian project called Prospera.
Prospera is not your typical city or town. It’s a self-described “special economic zone” (ZEDE) established on the coast of Honduras, designed to be a haven for entrepreneurs and a showcase for libertarian principles. These ZEDEs, however, were born out of a contentious period in Honduran history, emerging after a U.S.-backed coup in 2013. The premise behind them was simple: allow private entities to carve out geographically distinct areas within Honduras and create their own regulatory and judicial frameworks. This essentially allows for a degree of self-governance, attracting investors and developers seeking to operate outside the constraints of traditional national regulations.
Prospera markets itself as a place where innovation can flourish, where businesses can build “better, cheaper, and faster than anywhere else in the world.” It’s part of a broader ideological movement called the “Network State,” which envisions the creation of autonomous, privately funded cities, often embracing cryptocurrency and attracting figures like biohacker Bryan Johnson.
However, the reality of Prospera has been far from utopian. The project has faced considerable backlash within Honduras, with critics viewing it as a form of neocolonialism, ceding national sovereignty to wealthy foreign interests. These ZEDEs were seen as undermining national laws and regulations, potentially exploiting resources and labor, and creating a two-tiered system where some areas operated under entirely different rules than the rest of the country.
The Honduran government eventually responded to public pressure by repealing the law that enabled the creation of ZEDEs in 2022, effectively threatening the existence of Prospera. In response, Prospera’s corporate backers launched a lawsuit against the Honduran government, seeking over ten billion dollars in damages, a sum that would cripple the nation’s already fragile economy.
This brings us back to Roger Stone. In a recent blog post co-authored with conservative writer Shane Trejo, Stone suggests that former President Trump should pardon Juan Orlando Hernandez. The rationale behind this seemingly bizarre proposition is that Hernandez, once freed and potentially reinstated as a leader in Honduras, would be beneficial to Prospera. The underlying assumption is that Hernandez, having previously supported the ZEDE initiative, would once again champion its cause, potentially overturning the current government’s opposition.
The logic is deeply flawed, relying on the idea that a convicted drug trafficker could somehow be the key to economic prosperity and stability in Honduras. Stone and Trejo even draw comparisons to figures like Nayib Bukele of El Salvador and Javier Milei of Argentina, presenting them as “shining examples” of effective leadership.
However, these comparisons are highly questionable. Bukele’s reliance on cryptocurrency in El Salvador has been widely criticized, with The Economist labeling it a failure. Milei’s radical austerity measures in Argentina have led to a worsening economic crisis, with rising poverty and homelessness. To hold them up as models for Honduras, particularly in the context of a project like Prospera, demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of the complex economic and social realities facing these nations.
Furthermore, the notion that Prospera is a thriving example of libertarian economics in action is demonstrably false. It’s more accurate to describe it as a corporate resort, a playground for wealthy libertarians who gather to discuss their ideology. As of September, Prospera had only 79 full-time residents. This hardly constitutes a functioning society or a real city. It’s a far cry from the self-sufficient, innovative community it claims to be.
The entire situation raises serious questions about the potential for foreign interference in Honduran affairs. Roger Stone’s involvement, coupled with the deep pockets of Prospera’s backers, suggests a concerted effort to manipulate the political landscape of Honduras to serve specific economic and ideological interests. The idea of using a pardon to reinstate a convicted drug trafficker as a means of achieving this goal is not only ethically dubious but also potentially destabilizing for the entire region.
The article concludes with the chilling prospect that the Trump administration might consider conducting "regime change" on behalf of a group of "libertarian nutjobs," as Gizmodo bluntly puts it. This highlights the potential for extreme ideological agendas, fueled by wealth and political connections, to have a dangerous and destabilizing impact on vulnerable nations. The case of Roger Stone, Honduras, and Prospera serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition, the allure of utopian schemes, and the potential for foreign interference to undermine democratic processes and exacerbate existing inequalities.
