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TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Former President Juan Orlando Hernández needs to be extradited to the US to face drug-trafficking and weapons fees, a Honduran choose dominated on Wednesday.
The Honduran authorities detained Mr. Hernández in February, capping a spectacular downfall for considered one of Central America’s strongest males.
He’s anticipated to enchantment the extradition determination.
Throughout the courtroom listening to, the choose offered a doc despatched by the US Justice Division by means of the American embassy within the capital, Tegucigalpa, that laid out the fees towards Mr. Hernández. His attorneys additionally offered no less than 20 items of proof in his protection.
Mr. Hernández is accused of collaborating in a “violent drug-trafficking conspiracy” that since 2004 has transported 500 tons of cocaine from Venezuela and Colombia to the US through Honduras, in response to the doc.
The authorities mentioned he had obtained thousands and thousands of {dollars} in bribes for facilitating the shipments and shielding traffickers from prosecution.
The previous president’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernández, is serving a life sentence in the US for cocaine trafficking. One other convicted cocaine trafficker who implicated the previous president, Geovanny Fuentes, obtained the identical sentence.
The previous chief has denied having ties to drug traffickers. Addressing the courtroom throughout a listening to on Wednesday, he questioned the motives behind the extradition course of, in response to Melvin Duarte, a courtroom spokesman.
Mr. Hernández has maintained that statements made towards him by extradited drug traffickers got here from folks searching for 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 residence, carrying a bulletproof vest and shackles that certain him hand and foot.
Fireworks exploded round Tegucigalpa after he was led away from his residence, and about 100 protesters who had gathered round his residence celebrated his detention.
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