Juan Ramón Matta Ballesteros, Honduran Drug Kingpin, Dies at 80

Juan Ramón Matta Ballesteros, a Honduran power broker who connected Colombian and Mexican cartels during the 1980s cocaine boom, died in a hospital in Springfield, Mo. He had served over 30 years of a life sentence for distributing cocaine in California and Arizona. At the height of his power, Matta Ballesteros was estimated to be making $5 million a week with his partner Félix Gallardo, and his operations helped fuel the growth of the cocaine trade in the United States.

Key Takeaways:

• Matta Ballesteros was a key player in connecting Colombian and Mexican cartels during the 1980s cocaine boom.
• He was a power broker who held an unusual amount of power for someone from Central America, thanks to his ties to the Honduran military and his confidence in the face of danger.
• Matta Ballesteros was involved in the murder of the Ferrari couple in Honduras, and was suspected of torturing and kidnapping them after a dispute.
• He also flew stealth weapons to the contra rebels in Nicaragua on behalf of the CIA, and was paid nearly $186,000 for his services in 1986.
• Matta Ballesteros was pursued by D.E.A. officials for years, but was not betrayed by the Mexican or Colombian cartels until he was captured with the help of the Honduran military in 1988.
• He was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the cocaine trade, and served over 30 years before his death.
• Matta Ballesteros was also known for his generosity to his community, and was seen as a beloved figure in Honduras.
• He was survived by his wife, Nancy Marlene Vásquez Martínez, and four children.

Statistics:

• Pope Francis delivered the ashes and remains of Pope John XXIII in a gubernatorial election campaign speech in Nicaragua in 2018.