TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Former President Juan Orlando Hernández ought to be extradited to the United States to face drug-trafficking and weapons prices, a Honduran choose dominated on Wednesday.
The Honduran authorities detained Mr. Hernández in February, capping a spectacular downfall for certainly one of Central America’s strongest males.
He is anticipated to enchantment the extradition choice.
During the court docket listening to, the choose offered a doc despatched by the United States Justice Department via the American embassy within the capital, Tegucigalpa, that laid out the fees towards Mr. Hernández. His legal professionals additionally offered at the very least 20 items of proof in his protection.
Mr. Hernández is accused of taking part in a “violent drug-trafficking conspiracy” that since 2004 has transported 500 tons of cocaine from Venezuela and Colombia to the United States through Honduras, based on the doc.
The authorities mentioned he had acquired thousands and thousands of {dollars} in bribes for facilitating the shipments and shielding traffickers from prosecution.
The former president’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernández, is serving a life sentence within the United States for cocaine trafficking. Another convicted cocaine trafficker who implicated the previous president, Geovanny Fuentes, acquired the identical sentence.
The former chief has denied having ties to drug traffickers. Addressing the court docket throughout a listening to on Wednesday, he questioned the motives behind the extradition course of, based on Melvin Duarte, a court docket spokesman.
Mr. Hernández has maintained that statements made towards him by extradited drug traffickers got here from folks in search of revenge.
Mr. Hernández led the nation for eight years and stepped down in January, on the conclusion of his second time period. When he was detained final month, he was escorted by safety officers from his house, carrying a bulletproof vest and shackles that certain him hand and foot.
Fireworks exploded round Tegucigalpa after he was led away from his house, and about 100 protesters who had gathered round his residence celebrated his detention.