The extradition of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez (2014-2022) to the United States, where he is to be tried for drug trafficking, received the green light on Wednesday March 16 from the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) of Honduras, who announced on Twitter: “The trial extradition judge decides to accept the extradition request presented by the court for the Southern District of New York concerning the former President of the Republic Juan Orlando Hernandez Alvarado”.
“It’s a very sad day for our family (…) I repeat to the whole world and to Honduras that my husband is innocent. He is the victim of a conspiracy and revenge by drug traffickers who were extradited (by him) and who, to negotiate their sentences, now accuse Juan Orlando”declared Ana Garcia, the wife of the former head of state, taking up the arguments of the latter.
This decision is subject to appeal within the next three days, said a spokesman for the judiciary, Melvin Duarte. In this case, it would be the Supreme Court sitting in plenary session that would have the last word.
Under the terms of the extradition request, American justice wants to try the former head of state, in particular for “conspiracy” for importing drugs into the United States and “Possession of firearms, including machine guns and destructive equipment to aid conspiracy to import narcotics”.
Also according to the extradition request, Juan Orlando Hernandez “participated (from 2004 to 2022) in the violent drug trafficking conspiracy for the receipt of many tons of cocaine sent to Honduras from Colombia and Venezuela, among others, by air or sea”. “The conspiracy transported more than 500 tons of cocaine to the United States via Honduras”adds the extradition request.
Bribes
According to US prosecutors in charge of the case in New York, the former head of state of Honduras received millions of dollars from various drug trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and other countries. In exchange for these bribes, Juan Orlando Hernandez “protect drug traffickers from investigation (avoiding their) arrest and extradition”, assure the American authorities. In 2013, Mr. “Hernández accepted about a million dollars from the drug trafficker Joaquin Guzman Loera, aka El Chapo »they add.
During the trial in the United States of the brother of Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former deputy “Tony” Hernandez, New York prosecutors believe the former president was involved in the drug trade for which “Tony” Hernandez was sentenced in March 2021 to life in prison.
Known in Honduras by the initials of his name – “JOH” – , the former Conservative president is a 53-year-old lawyer. He handed over power on January 27 to left-wing president Xiomara Castro. President for eight years, he presented himself during his two terms as the champion of the fight against drug trafficking destined for the United States.