A former Honduran President, Juan Orlando Hernández, was defiantly sentenced to 45 years in a New York prison for collaborating with drug traffickers to smuggle over 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S. The judge also fined him $8 million as a warning to those who abuse power.
Despite claiming innocence, Hernández was found guilty in March after a trial closely monitored in Honduras. He portrayed himself as an anti-drug crusader, but evidence proved otherwise.
The judge described Hernández as a corrupt politician who protected drug traffickers for his own gain. Witnesses implicated him in collaborating with notorious dealers like El Chapo.
The sentencing was unexpected, shocking many in Honduras who expected life imprisonment. The U.S. Ambassador hailed it as a step towards curbing drug trafficking’s social impact.
With the judge highlighting the fair trial process, Hernández was held accountable for his crimes, showing that no one, not even a former president, is above the law.