Former Honduran president found guilty of drug trafficking at NYC trial trends now
The former President of Honduras has been convicted of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and aiding traffickers like El Chapo in the process.
Juan Orlando Hernández was convicted in New York on charges that he conspired with traffickers and used his military and police force to enable tons of cocaine to make it unhindered into the US.
The jury returned its verdict at a federal court after a two week trial, which has been closely followed in his home country.
Hernández, 55, served two terms as the leader of the Central American nation of roughly 10 million people.
He was arrested at his home in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, three months after leaving office in 2022 and was extradited to the U.S. in April of that year.
Honduras' former president Juan Orlando bows his head as he's convicted of drug trafficking by a New York City court on Friday
U.S. prosecutors accused Hernández of working with drug traffickers as long ago as 2004.
They said he took millions of dollars in bribes as he rose from rural congressman to president of the National Congress and then to the country's highest office.
Hernández acknowledged in trial testimony that drug money was paid to virtually all political parties in Honduras, but he denied accepting bribes himself.
He noted that he had visited the White House and cast himself as a champion in the war on drugs who worked to curb the flow of drugs to the U.S.
In one instance, he said, he was warned by the FBI that a drug cartel wanted to assassinate him.
He said his accusers fabricated their claims about him in bids for leniency for their crimes.
'They all have motivation to lie, and they are professional liars,' Hernández said.
But the prosecution mocked Hernández for seemingly claiming to be the only honest politician in Honduras.
Hernández, seated center at the defense table, turns to looks at prospective jurors during the jury selection process at the start of his
