On Friday, the US Department of Justice announced that former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández has been found guilty on all three charges listed in his indictment by a federal jury in New York. The most serious charge was of conspiring to import cocaine into the US, a crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
Additionally, the former president also found himself facing charges of conspiracy and actual use of machine guns during furtherance of the cocaine importation scheme. Each of these grave charges carries a potential life sentence. Hernández’s sentencing has been scheduled for June 26.
USA’s Attorney General Merrick Garland spoke strongly against Hernández. He said that Hernández abused his presidential position to operate Honduras as a refuge for violent drug traffickers, allowing them t0 act with near impunity. The impact of this affected both Honduran and American citizens.
The indictment revealed that from 2004 to 2022, Hernández had actively participated in a violent drug-trafficking conspiracy to facilitate the importation of hundreds of thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the US. He allegedly received millions of dollars to use his public office, law enforcement, and the military to support drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere.
In February 2022, Honduran authorities took Hernández into custody following a request from the United States. After approval from the Supreme Court of Honduras, Hernández was extradited to the US for his trial in April.
Hernández is a seasoned politician and served as the president of the National Congress from 2010 to 2014 before becoming the president of Honduras, a position he held until January 2022. Around the time he stepped down, federal prosecutors claimed that Hernández aided in the transportation several thousand kilos of cocaine into the US in exchange for hefty bribes. His brother, Tony Hernández, is currently serving a life sentence in a US prison for his involvement in drug trafficking.
For more detailed information, you may refer to the comprehensive report by JURIST news.