Honduras: President JOH Denies Drug Trafficking Accusations

Honduras' President Juan Orlando Hernandez  (JOH) refuted corruption allegations voiced at a New York Court where he was accused of receiving bribes from drug trafficking networks to allow illicit exports to the U.S.

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The accusations were brought by prosecutors working on investigations against drug trafficker Geovanny Ramirez who was captured in Miami in March 2020.

According to the prosecutors, Fuentes held several meetings with Hernadez and paid him to protect drug trafficking activities, including by using the military.

"That and other opportunistic allegations have no base in the face of the overwhelming fact that during Hernandez's administration, coca trafficking through Honduras was reduced from 87 percent to 4 percent from 2013 to 2019," Presidential House tweeted.

Fuentes' case showed illicit payments to authorities in Honduras between 2004 and 2020 to produce and ship hundreds of kilograms of cocaine each month to the U.S. through third countries such as Colombia and Guatemala.

Hernandez was also linked to drug cartels in Mexico during the trial against his brother Juan Antonio Hernandez who was found guilty for drug trafficking and other charges in October 2019.

Representing the National Party, Hernadez won the election in 2013 and was re-elected in 2017. His term is set to conclude in January 2022.