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Honduran police arrested former President Juan Orlando Hernandez on Tuesday at the request of the United States. Washington suspects Mr. Hernandez of involvement in illegal drug trafficking.
Mr Hernandez, who resigned three weeks ago, was escorted from his home in Tegucigalpa handcuffed and wearing a bulletproof vest. The Supreme Court selected a judge to handle the case and he signed an arrest warrant for the former president. Police, who had cordoned off Mr Hernandez’s home since Monday, took him into custody.
Mr. Hernandez was repeatedly implicated as an accomplice in his brother’s 2019 drug trafficking trial by New York prosecutors. The brother, Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernández, was found guilty of drug and arms trafficking charges and sentenced to life in prison.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier this month that there were credible reports that Mr Hernandez was “involved in substantial corruption by committing or facilitating acts of corruption and drug trafficking” and using the proceeds to fund his political career.
Mr Hernandez was sworn in as Honduras’ representative to the Central American Parliament on January 27, just hours after his successor, Xiomara Castro, became the country’s first female president. His lawyer says he has immunity from extradition because he is a member of the regional parliament.
The Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Twitter on Monday that the US Embassy in Tegucigalpa had formally requested the arrest of a Honduran politician, for possible extradition to the United States. Former President Hernandez was identified as the politician wanted for extradition, after the CNN television network broadcast images of the request./VOA
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