Juan Orlando Hernández, the ex-president of Honduras, has been found guilty of trafficking cocaine. This has solidified his notoriety as a former ally of the US in the fight against drug usage.
Hernández is the first former head of state to be found guilty of drug trafficking in the United States since Panamanian strongman Gen Manuel Noriega was convicted in 1992.
A panel of jurors determined on Friday that Hernández, aged 55, is guilty of three charges related to trafficking drugs and conspiring to possess weapons. His punishment will include a minimum mandatory time of 40 years behind bars.
Over the course of two weeks, testimonies detailed payments given to Hernández’s political campaigns, including a million dollars from the infamous former head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán.
In the final statements on Wednesday, American attorney Jacob Gutwillig informed the court that Hernández, who had engaged in wrongdoing, has established a route for transporting large amounts of cocaine into the US.
Hernández testified in his own defense, emphasizing his involvement in enacting laws against crime and his cooperation with the US to combat drug trafficking. He also labeled the witnesses as “professional liars”.
However, the prosecution argued that although Hernández targeted certain drug traffickers, he also shielded others, such as his brother, former lawmaker Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernández, who was also found guilty of drug trafficking in the same courtroom in 2019.
In his closing statement, Gutwillig stated that the state was fully committed to protecting their drugs.
The US Drug Enforcement Agency’s successful prosecution of the conviction demonstrates their effective approach of targeting government officials who provide aid to drug traffickers. However, it also brings into question the United States government’s previous collaboration with the former president.
Lawyer Damian Williams expressed his desire for the conviction to serve as a warning to other corrupt politicians who may be tempted to follow suit, and urges them to make different choices.
Hernández was previously viewed as a major American ally in Central America, specifically during the Trump presidency, when the US government chose to overlook any issues as long as Honduras supported its migration policies.
According to one of his defense attorneys, Renato Stabile, [Hernández] accomplished something that no other [president of Honduras] had previously achieved by collaborating with the United States. Stabile mentioned [Hernández’s] cooperation with Washington in his opening statement.
Hernández’s political ascent coincided with his country’s plunge into turmoil as drug trafficking routes shifted from Mexico and the Caribbean into Honduras, flooding the nation with easy money and making it one of the world’s most dangerous countries.
In 2013, Hernández ran for president with a tough stance on crime. He highlighted his involvement in the approval of a constitutional amendment that allowed for the extradition of Honduran drug dealers for the very first time. This decision ultimately led to his downfall.
However, it was revealed in court that his win in the election was orchestrated by drug dealers who stated they gave millions of dollars in bribes to his campaign.
Following his inauguration in 2014, there were reports in the media speculating about potential connections between Tony, the brother of Juan Orlando, and drug traffickers.
According to Gutwillig, Tony’s ascent as a drug dealer was attributed to the power of the defendant.
When his initial term as president was ending, Hernández chose to run for re-election, despite it being prohibited by the constitution. The election in 2017 was marked by accusations of fraudulent activities and displays of aggression.
Despite calls for a new election, the United States played a significant role in helping Hernández secure his victory by giving him recognition.
Despite being involved in his brother’s drug trafficking trial in October 2019, Trump, who was the president at the time, commended Hernández for his assistance in combatting drug activity.
However, upon assuming office in January 2021, Joe Biden avoided contact with his Honduran counterpart.
On 15 February 2022, Hernández was taken into custody shortly following the end of his second term as president. Two months afterwards, he was transferred to the United States. Hondurans were eagerly awaiting the long-awaited trial, as they are weary of the lack of consequences in their nation and hope to witness dishonest politicians being punished.
During the hearing, individuals gave accounts of a political structure in Honduras where there was an interdependent connection between traffickers and elected leaders.
According to the government’s questioning, Hernández stated that the drug traffickers do not belong to any political party.
He stated that they provide assistance to all individuals, then briefly stopped before continuing,”Or they make an effort, at the very least.”
“Is that similar to your situation, Mr. Hernandez?” replied Kyle Wirshba, an assistant attorney for the US.
Source: theguardian.com
