Ex-Honduras president Juan Orlando Hernandez convicted in US drug trafficking trial
- The US accused the former leader of abusing his power by accepting millions of dollars in bribes from traffickers to protect their US-bound cocaine shipments
- Hernandez, 55, faces possible life in prison; his sentence will be determined at a later date
Former Honduras president Juan Orlando Hernandez was found guilty on Friday of drug trafficking conspiracy by a US jury, cementing the one-time US ally’s fall from grace.
Jurors in federal court in Manhattan needed about two days to reach a verdict, following a two-week trial.
Hernandez, 55, faces possible life in prison. US District Judge Kevin Castel will determine his sentence at a later date.
Renato Stabile, a lawyer for Hernandez, said his client plans to appeal the verdict.
Hernandez led Honduras from 2014 to 2022. During his presidency, the Central American country received more than US$50 million in US anti-narcotics aid, and tens of millions of dollars in security and military aid.
But the US Justice Department said Hernandez abused his power by accepting millions of dollars in bribes from traffickers to protect their US-bound cocaine shipments, and to fuel his rise in Honduran politics.
