The former President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, has been handed a 45-year prison sentence by a New York court for his significant role in international drug trafficking and related weapons offenses. Hernández, who governed Honduras from 2014 to 2022, was found guilty of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, thereby aiding the operation of what has been described as a ‘narco-state’. In addition to the prison term, he has been ordered to pay an $8 million fine and will be subject to 5 years of supervised release after completing his sentence. Hernández’s conviction was based on evidence presented during his trial, which showed that he accepted bribes from drug traffickers, including Joaquín ‘Chapo’ Guzmán, to protect cocaine shipments and utilize the Honduran military and police for smuggling operations. The prosecution highlighted Hernández’s actions as facilitating the transit of over 400 tons of cocaine to the U.S.. Despite Hernández’s consistent denial of the charges and his claims of being unfairly targeted, the jury found him guilty in March after a two-week trial. The sentence underscores the gravity of Hernández’s crimes and marks a significant victory for U.S. efforts to combat drug trafficking, sending a clear message to other corrupt leaders that they are not immune to international accountability. Hernández’s conviction follows a pattern of former Latin American heads of state being prosecuted in the U.S. for similar crimes.
Key points
- Juan Orlando Hernández has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for drug trafficking and weapons charges.
- He was found guilty of facilitating over 400 tons of cocaine into the U.
- Hernández plans to appeal the verdict, maintaining his claims of innocence.
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and enriching himself with millions of dollars from drug cartels.
