Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez is expected to have a “second instance” court in the United States to review the case of his brother, a former deputy found guilty of drug trafficking by a New York court.
In an interview given to AFP on Friday, the president says he is confident that the judges must perceive that the accusations against Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernández, respond to a revenge of heads of drug cartels that his government dismantled.
“Tony” was found guilty by a jury in the New York Southern District Court on charges such as drug trafficking and possession of weapons, crimes that the judge can punish with at least 40 years in prison.
Retaliation, the president says, surrounds him as well, as drug traffickers say they financially supported his presidential campaign in exchange for him allowing them to operate.
In power since 2014, lawyer Hernandez recalls that his government has extradited 23 bosses. And it was he who called for support from the United States, which in turn recognizes the 83% drop in drug trafficking through Honduras.
From the Palau José Cecilio de la Vall, the government house, he also reaffirms that on January 27, 2022, when his second term ends, he will “move away from public life” to write his memoirs.
JOH, as he is known in his country for his initials, addresses security issues, drug trafficking and diplomacy.
Q: Did the cartels disappear in Honduras or do the extradited have relief?
A: The major drug cartels that have been damaging the country for nearly 20 years or more are disarticulated. But this is like grass, which also sprouts (…) This is one of the big challenges we have.
Q: Are you sure they didn’t put drug funds into your campaign, as prosecutors ’accusations from the United States point out?
A: We were very emphatic in that we didn’t want a relationship with any kind of money that just seemed, let’s not say, illegitimate. [En 2015 admitió que empresas vinculadas a un desfalco en el seguro social financiaron su campaña, ndlr].
Already in the second campaign I was the promoter of a law on fundraising for the campaign [Ley de Financiamiento, Transparencia y Fiscalización de los Partidos Políticos y Candidatos].
The important thing is that there is a policy that is perfected every day, to prevent (income) from having bad money and then (contributors) trying to collect the bill.
Q: The New York Prosecutor’s Office believes otherwise and has testimonies from drug traffickers accusing him of receiving money to favor them … what do you think of that?
A: Birds shooting at shotguns. Confessed murderers, 78 murders, people raping girls (…)
They seek to have their sentences lowered, to have their property returned to them, or to leave something to their family, in addition (it is) out of revenge. Many of them were captured by us and we delivered them there (in the United States) or they are in prisons in Honduras and others went to surrender because of the pressure we put on them.
We knew there would be consequences but we will not rest until the last day of government in a struggle that means the peace of Honduras.
Q: Your brother was found guilty in the United States of links to these bosses …
A: There are two dimensions, the dimension of brother, of family, seeing my mother, seeing my nephews (Tony’s children), my siblings, and conversing in the family is a strong thing , is something that hits very hard.
But I am also president of a country and (…) no one is above the law.
Now, when I hear confessed murderers say ridiculousness, as the desire for revenge is clearly seen.
Q: But they found him guilty [espera sentencia para marzo] What do you think will happen with this decision?
A: It remains to be seen what the testimonies of these people will look like once the judge realizes who they are (…) Like any judicial process, it always has a second instance.
Q: What relationship do you expect with US President Joe Biden, especially on migration issues? [Cuando desde 2018 se organizan desde Honduras masivas caravanas con personas que buscan mejores condiciones de vida en Estados Unidos, ndlr]
A: We had the opportunity to work together (…) for the construction of the Alliance for the Prosperity of the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, Honduras El Salvador), a public policy to attack the root of the migration problem , which at that time was insecurity, lack of opportunities (…)
I hope Biden shares these common responsibilities with us. I’m sure Washington’s leadership understands that the best investment for the United States and for Central America is to build prosperity here, so we all win.