In a landmark ruling on Friday, former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernndez was found guilty of conspiring with drug traffickers and employing his military and national police force to transport cocaine into the United States.
The 55-year-old, who served two presidential terms, was apprehended in 2022 at his residence in the Honduran capital, shortly after his tenure ended. He was subsequently extradited to the U.S.
The New York Post reported that U.S. prosecutors alleged Hernndez's involvement with drug traffickers dated back to 2004. They claimed he accepted millions of dollars in bribes, which facilitated his political ascent from a rural congressman to the president of the National Congress, and eventually to the nation's highest office. However, Hernndez refuted these allegations during his trial testimony, admitting that drug money was funneled into virtually all political parties in Honduras, but denying personal acceptance of bribes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gutwillig, during his closing arguments on Wednesday, painted a picture of a corrupt Hernndez who "paved a cocaine superhighway to the United States." This verdict was met with applause and celebration by nearly 100 of Hernndez's opponents who had gathered outside the courthouse.
The Post further reported that during the trial of alleged Honduran drug trafficker Geovanny Fuentes Ramrez, Gutwillig stated in his opening remarks that Hernndez had expressed a desire to "shove the drugs right up the noses of the gringos." Gutwillig added, "They plotted to send as much cocaine as possible to the United States."
In the aftermath of the verdict, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams expressed his disappointment in Hernndez's actions. "Juan Orlando Hernndez had every opportunity to be a force for good in his native Honduras. Instead, he chose to abuse his office and country for his own personal gain and partnered with some of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations in the world to transport tons of cocaine to the United States," Williams said. He expressed hope that this conviction would serve as a deterrent to all corrupt politicians contemplating a similar path, vowing that his office would spare no effort in investigating and prosecuting those responsible for introducing drugs into the community, regardless of their status or political power.
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