:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/DZWVGACOJBGBPAYONEP7BB22LI.jpg "How a narco-state is built: everything ready for the trial of former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández in New York")
Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández is set to face trial for allegations of drug trafficking and arms trafficking at the Southern District Court of Manhattan. The trial is scheduled to begin on February 5th, and Hernández’s defense lawyer, Raymond Colon, failed in his attempt to postpone the trial due to health reasons.
According to US prosecutors, Hernández is accused of turning Honduras into a narco-state where political power was manipulated to serve major cocaine traffickers. The prosecutors claim that Hernández financed his political career with money from drug trafficking and established criminal relations with the main traffickers in the country.
In a 96-page indictment, the prosecutors state that the drug trafficking activities orchestrated by Hernández and high-ranking officials resulted in chaos, contributing directly to the crisis of criminal violence, corruption, and poverty in Honduras. They allege that he allowed drug traffickers to flourish under his control and worked closely with them to support drug shipments, neutralize common threats, and pay bribes to high-level government and law enforcement officials.
Hernández will stand trial alongside two other former Honduran officials, Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares and Mauricio Hernández Pineda. Several captured drug traffickers, including those who have voluntarily surrendered to the United States, are expected to testify as witnesses.
The case of Hernández marks a significant event in the US judicial system, as a former president is being accused of using the power of the state to facilitate drug trafficking on a massive scale. The trial will shed light on the alleged criminal activities that plagued Honduras during Hernández’s presidency and may have international implications for drug trafficking networks.
The trial could also lead to a re-evaluation of the United States‘ relationship with foreign leaders involved in drug trafficking and may raise questions about the role of political allies in drug-related criminal enterprises. As the trial is set to commence, the legal proceedings against Hernández are expected to garner widespread attention and scrutiny on an international scale. As the details unfold, the world will be watching the outcome of the trial.