The President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, helped transport tons of cocaine to the United States, said Tuesday, March 9, a New York federal prosecutor, in his indictment at the opening of the trial of a drug trafficker presumed.
According to prosecutor Jacob Gutwillig, Geovanny Fuentes has “Paid bribes even to the President of Honduras” and had become “Untouchable” thanks to their association. The President of Honduras received, between 2013 and 2014, some 25,000 dollars (21,000 euros) to guarantee the protection of the drug trafficker, also said Mr. Gutwillig.
One of the prosecution witnesses in the two-week trial will testify “Of the shock and the fear he felt when he saw the accused sitting next to the president”, said the prosecutor. The witness, José Sanchez, is also expected to quote from the president, who allegedly told Mr. Fuentes he would carry “So much cocaine going to the United States that “gringos” will have it up to the nostrils “.
Mr. Fuentes’ lawyer, Eylan Schulman, tried to discredit these prosecution witnesses in advance. “Supposedly $ 25,000 can be enough to bribe a president”, he said. He pointed out that José Sanchez, who sought asylum in the United States, had “Much to gain and nothing to lose” by testifying. He also warned jurors that another prosecution witness, former Honduran cartel leader Leonel Rivera, was “One of the worst assassins” in the world.
New York prosecutors consider President Hernandez, 52, in power since January 2014, to be “Co-conspirator” of Mr. Fuentes in cocaine trafficking, although the leader has not been charged. Mr Fuentes’ trial comes after the trial of the president’s brother Tony Hernandez, a former member of Parliament convicted of cocaine trafficking in New York in October 2019. The sentencing hearing, which has been postponed several times, is now scheduled for March 23. He faces life imprisonment.
During the conviction of his brother, President Hernandez, nicknamed “Joh”, denounced the verdict, rejecting “The false and irresponsible versions which seek to sully the name of Honduras” at the origin of this judgment.
