Highlights: Juan Orlando Hernandez was found guilty of criminal conspiracy to traffic drugs and arms trafficking, as well as possession of weapons. He now faces life imprisonment, after a historic trial before the American courts. “I am innocent, tell the world, I love you,” said, after the reading of the verdict, the 55-year-old former head of state. The sentence will be pronounced on June 26. Honduras became a “highway ” for Colombian cocaine during his eight-year presidency.

The former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, was found guilty this Friday, March 9, of international drug trafficking by a federal jury in New York, just two years after leaving…

Honduras: ex-president found guilty of international drug trafficking by American justice

The former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, was found guilty this Friday, March 9, of international drug trafficking by a federal jury in New York, just two years after leaving office as head of state.

He now faces life imprisonment, after a historic trial before the American courts.

Former President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez.

He is photographed here in 2019, in Washington (illustrative image).

AP - Jacquelyn Martin

By: RFI with AFP

Juan Orlando Hernandez

, also nicknamed “JOH”, was found guilty of criminal conspiracy to traffic drugs and arms trafficking, as well as possession of weapons.

“

Juan Orlando Hernandez abused his position as President of Honduras to turn the country into a narco-state where violent drug traffickers could operate with near impunity, and the people of Honduras and the United States were forced to suffer the consequences

,” responded the American Minister of Justice, Merrick Garland, welcoming this conviction.

“

I am innocent, tell the world, I love you,

” said, after the reading of the verdict, the 55-year-old former head of state, who was appearing detained, speaking to members of his family and to the three generals who came to testify in his favor.

The sentence will be pronounced on June 26.

“A highway” for Colombian cocaine

Honduras became

a “highway

” for Colombian cocaine during his eight-year presidency.

For prosecutors, there is no doubt: more than 500 tons of drugs arrived in the United States thanks to the active support of Juan Orlando Hernandez.

He provided drug cartels with military, police and judicial assistance and protected traffickers against extraditions.

In exchange, the former head of state would have received millions of dollars from the cartels, and in particular from that of Sinaloa, led by the famous Mexican drug trafficker

Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman

, sentenced in 2019 to prison in life by an American court.

Juan Orlando Hernandez turned his country into a veritable narco-state, prosecutors concluded.

Juan Orlando Hernandez faces life in prison, a sentence which his brother Tony Hernandez and his collaborator Geovanny Fuentes, involved in the same network, have already received before the American courts.

Throughout the trial, prosecution witnesses, most of them traffickers themselves, highlighted the close links between drug trafficking and politics in the Central American country.

Juan Carlos Hernandez was

extradited in April 2022 to the United States

, three months after handing over the presidency to his successor, Xiomara Castro.

Former police chief Juan Carlos “Tigre” Bonilla and ex-police officer Mauricio Hernandez, who were to be tried with the former president, had pleaded guilty to drug trafficking a few days before the start of the trial.

Their sentences will be known in the coming months.

Also read: Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez facing American justice

Honduras: ex-president found guilty of international drug trafficking by American justice

Honduras: ex-president found guilty of international drug trafficking by American justice

“A highway” for Colombian cocaine

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest