Juan Orlando Hernandez, the previous president of Honduras, received a 45-year jail sentence from a United States judge on Wednesday due to his involvement in firearm and drug-related crimes. Back in March, a jury in Manhattan had concluded that Hernandez, aged 55, was complicit in accepting sizeable bribes intended to shield cocaine shipments destined for the US. These illegal narcotics belonged to drug traffickers whom Hernandez had earlier vowed to fight against.
US District Judge, Kevin Castel, delivered the sentence in a Manhattan federal court session. Despite facing a minimum prison sentence of 40 years, federal prosecutors pushed for a life sentence. They argued that this would serve as a potent deterrent to other offenders including those in political positions. Prosecutors cited that, without the interference of corrupt politicians such as Hernandez, large-scale international drug trafficking and the subsequent violent incidents would be challenging, if not impossible, to execute.
As the top official, Hernandez took the helm of Honduras, which is a close US ally in Central America, from 2014 till 2022. His solicitor, Renato Stabile, advocated for a sentence that didn’t exceed 40 years, stating that it was equivalent to a life sentence. He added that Hernandez was unwavering in his determination to dispute his conviction. Stabile would later indicate in a court document, issued on Tuesday evening, requesting Judge Castel to allow Hernandez to stay at the Metropolitan Detention Centre during his appeal phase.
Throughout a two-week trial, prosecutors put forward the notion that Hernandez had utilized drug money bribes to influence voting results and officials during both the 2013 and 2017 Honduran presidential elections. There were testimonies from several convicted drug traffickers admitting to bribing Hernandez. During his defence, Hernandez emphatically denied accepting funds from drug cartels while his solicitors accused the convicted traffickers of seeking revenge due to Hernandez’s drug policies.
In May, Judge Castel rejected Hernandez’s request for a new trial. Hernandez contended that a US drug enforcement investigator inaccurately testified that cocaine trafficking had escalated, instead of plummeting, under his presidency. However, the judge considered these statements irrelevant to the charge of conspiracy with the drug traffickers.
Lastly, Tony Hernandez, the younger brother to Juan Orlando Hernandez, was also sentenced to life imprisonment in March 2021 following his conviction on drug-related charges.