Former President Juan Orlando Hernández ought to be extradited to america to face drug trafficking and weapons prices, a Honduran choose dominated Wednesday.
The nation’s Supreme Court docket of Justice stated late Wednesday through Twitter that the choose had determined to grant the U.S. extradition request.
U.S. prosecutors within the Southern District of New York have accused Hernández in recent times of funding his political rise with earnings from drug traffickers in alternate for shielding their shipments. He has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
Earlier than the choice was introduced, court docket spokesman Melvin Duarte stated that in a listening to earlier within the day, Hernández addressed the court docket. “Normally phrases he argued in regards to the motives which have led to this extradition course of towards him, which he and his spouse have stated publicly,” Duarte stated.
Hernández has maintained that statements towards him have been made by drug traffickers extradited by his authorities who wished to hunt revenge towards him. He denies having any ties to drug traffickers.
He could have a chance to attraction the extradition determination.
Throughout the listening to, the choose introduced a doc despatched by the the U.S. Justice Division by way of the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa that laid out the costs towards Hernández. Hernández’s attorneys additionally introduced no less than 20 items of proof in his protection.
Hernández left workplace in January on the conclusion of his second time period.
The choose had extra time to succeed in a call, however in 32 earlier extradition circumstances the choice got here in lower than every week. All of these selections had been for extradition.
Felony lawyer German Licona stated earlier than the announcement that if the choose dominated for extradition, Hernández might attraction to the total Supreme Court docket.
Hernández was arrested at his dwelling on Feb. 15 on the request of the U.S. authorities.
The arrest got here lower than three weeks after Hernández left workplace and adopted years of allegations by U.S. prosecutors of his alleged hyperlinks to drug traffickers. His brother, Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernández, was sentenced to life in jail on drug and weapons prices in March 2021.
After his arrest the previous president was led earlier than cameras flanked by police, shackled on the wrists and ankles, and carrying a bulletproof jacket. On Wednesday, he appeared in court docket carrying a blue swimsuit however was equally shackled.
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