Juan Orlando Hernandez | “I had a policy against drug traffickers, I couldn’t survive them”: Defense of the former president of Honduras in his trial in the US for drug trafficking

Three weeks after a trial in which a dozen witnesses have paraded, former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez (JOH) surprised by taking the stand at a crucial moment in the judicial process he faces this Tuesday in New York City.

Hernandez is on trial for alleged conspiracy to traffic drugs and weapons, crimes that could land him in prison with up to life in prison if convicted.

As has been customary since last February 20, when the trial began, the former Honduran president arrived at the Federal District Court in Manhattan early this Tuesday.

Outside the building he received the now common boos from a group of Honduran citizens who have gathered since the start of the judicial process to follow the case’s daily proceedings.

Dressed in a black suit and light blue tie, JOH arrived with two of his lawyers: Raymond Colon and Renato Stabile. Earlier in the day he was seen smiling and confident, joking with his lawyers in the front row of the courtroom presided over by Judge Kevin Castel, who is presiding over the former president’s trial.

After two weeks in which the prosecutor’s office presented evidence and a dozen witnesses, Hernandez’s defense sought to overturn the charges against him, mainly those of drug traffickers Such as Davis Lionel Rivera, one of the leaders of the powerful Los Cachiros cartel, or the former mayor of the municipality of El Paraíso, Alexander Ardon, of his own political party.

Drug traffickers cooperating with justice suggested before the trial that JOH, when he was in power from 2014 to 2022, gave them protection in exchange for millions of dollars, allegations the former Honduran president has denied, saying, “Revenge for Persecuting Them”

This was his strategy again in court on Tuesday.

The former president’s defense hinges on a package of laws and measures he adopted during his two terms to fight drug trafficking and organized crime in the Central American country, which has been plagued by corruption and the power of drug trafficking.

Meanwhile Hernández’s Honduran presidency received more than US$50 million in anti-narcotics aid from the United States. and millions of dollars in military and security aid.

He also won the support of former US President Donald Trump to crack down on drugs and immigration and cooperated with the United States.

Also The Justice Department now says the former president ran Honduras as a “narco-state.”Prosecutors say he used drug money during Honduras’ 2013 and 2017 presidential elections to bribe officials and manipulate voting results in his favor.

After questioning two defense witnesses, lawyer Colon called Hernandez to the stand, causing surprise in the room.

The 55-year-old former president described himself as an ardent opponent of drug trafficking. During his time as head of the Central American country and his government’s military cooperation with the United States, he drew attention to his frequent visits to Washington to meet with officials.

“I had a policy against all those people because I couldn’t stand them”, Hernandez testified through a Spanish interpreter, referring to drug traffickers. “They have done a lot of damage to the country.”

In his testimony, JOH denied knowing “Jose Sanchez,” the former accountant of a Honduran rice factory and the prosecutor’s office’s first witness in the case against him. In his testimony on February 21, Sanchez said he had seen How the former Honduran president got briefcases with money from a drug trafficker With whom he tried to join the cocaine laboratory.

Hernández also cited the testimony of drug trafficker and former Honduran mayor Alexander Ardon, who testified two weeks ago that “around 2009” he met privately with Honduran National Party deputy JOH and gave him “a million.” dollar.” ” to help him politically and financially.

In return, “he helped me so that the prosecutor’s office did not investigate me,” he said.

JOH stated that he met Arden “properly” and was probably upset with him because he was not going to put him on the National Party electoral list because he had heard he was involved in illegal acts.

Former Honduran President Mexican kingpin denies bribery allegations from Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán and said he did not conspire with his brother Tony Hernandez or anyone else to bring drugs into the United States.

Tony was sentenced to life in prison in March 2021 on drug trafficking charges in the United States.

Hernandez’s defense emphasized that During his tenure, the extradition of Honduran drug traffickers to the United States began. and anti-money laundering measures, which would challenge the idea that the former president participated in the drug trade.

To bolster his defense, JOH cited a close relationship with John Kelly, the former head of the United States Southern Command, with whom he said he met more than twenty times. He also mentioned having a “close” relationship with President Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

During his government, he ensured the first major seizure of drug trafficking assets, such as the Los Cachiros cartel, from which US$600 million in assets were seized, “the largest seizure in Central America,” he said. Judge Kevin Castel cut him off in his statement.

“We are not here to listen to speeches,” said the judge, who threatened JOH that his testimony would be struck out if he did not limit himself to brief answers to questions posed by the defense.

“Mr. Hernandez, many things have happened in the United States and in Honduras. This trial focuses on specific issues. Focus on them. A question is asked and, if there are no objections, it is answered,” he told her.

Hernandez’s body language changed when it was the prosecutor’s turn. Clutching his neck and glasses, the former president grew more nervous with each question that prosecutor Kyle Wirschba asked during a tough cross-examination.

One of the pieces of evidence presented was a photograph taken during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa in which then Congress president JOHN, He is seen hugging Arnulfo Valle, one of the leaders of the powerful Valle-Vale cartel, with a national shirt.

The former president questioned the authenticity of that photo. “I don’t know, my face looks lighter than theirs,” he said.

After showing another image, in which Hernandez is seen hugging the children of Giovanni Fuentes, who was sentenced to life in prison for shipping “tons” of cocaine to the United States, the prosecutor asked: “Did the meeting depicted in this photo take place?” .

“I’m not sure, sir,” he replied with a laugh, admitting that he “could be” to the disbelief of the audience in the room.

Hernandez said that “drug traffickers don’t have a political party,” after which the prosecutor’s office asked him if he had any candidates. “They support everyone, or at least they try to,” he said.

“Apart from you?” asked the prosecutor sarcastically, who wanted to know if he was serious when he said he was “the only honest politician in Honduras.”

The interrogation by the prosecutor’s office will continue this Wednesday.

When concluded, closing arguments will be scheduled for presentation.

Once concluded, the 12-member jury will retire to deliberate and reach a unanimous verdict.

And remember you can receive notifications. Download the latest version of our app and activate it so you don’t miss our best content.