Breaking: Former Honduran President Sentenced to 45 Years for Drug Trafficking

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez has been sentenced to 45 years in prison and fined $8 million by a US judge for drug trafficking offences.

Hernandez has consistently denied the charges and maintained his innocence, insisting during his sentencing on Wednesday that he was “wrongly and unjustly accused.”

In March, a New York jury found Hernandez guilty of three drug trafficking charges after a two-week trial in Manhattan federal court. 

He was extradited from Honduras following charges filed by the US Department of Justice in 2022, which included drug trafficking and firearms-related offences.

Prosecutors accused Hernandez, 55, of collaborating with drug cartels during his presidency, facilitating the movement of over 400 tons of cocaine through Honduras towards the United States. 

In return, they alleged, Hernandez received millions of dollars in bribes, which he used to bolster his political career.

Hernandez served as president of Honduras from 2014 to 2022. During his tenure, the Justice Department claimed he “protected and enriched the drug traffickers in his inner circle.” 

He used his executive power to support the extradition of certain traffickers to the US while ensuring those who paid him and followed his orders remained in Honduras.

Prosecutors also stated that members of Hernandez's conspiracy relied on the Honduran National Police to secure cocaine shipments moving through the country.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland condemned Hernandez's actions, stating that he “abused his position as president of Honduras to operate the country as a narco-state where violent drug traffickers were allowed to operate with virtual impunity, and the people of Honduras and the United States were forced to suffer the consequences.”
Source: CNN