He former President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernandez (2014-2022), who was tried in New York on several drug trafficking charges during his term, defended his innocence on Tuesday, recalling the role he played in his country’s extradition law with the United States, which has already authorized the extradition of 21 people. people, including himself.

That’s the line of argument his lawyer Raymond Colon took when Hernandez (also known as JOH) appeared on the stand Tuesday after the defense and prosecutors had finished testifying people and when the trial is already approaching its final stage.

JOH, dressed in a gray jacket, blue shirt and lilac tie, with neat hair, demonstrated at the stand poise of those who are used to speaking in publicand the patience required to wait while his every word was translated into English for Judge Kevin Castel and the jury.

Colon influenced JOH’s fame approve extradition legislation with the United States when he was President of the Congress, before his election as head of state, and also that during his tenure as President of the Republic, he personally approved 24 extraditions, of which 21 have already been carried out.

He said yes to all extradition requests from Washington.

He insisted that he approved “all extraditions requested by the United States.”

The lawyer showed Hernandez photographs of 24 people affected by the law, most of whom were drug traffickers and who, in almost all cases, agreed to cooperate with the US Department of Justice. in exchange for prison benefits.

When asked about the names of these beneficiaries, John said that he remembered some of them by name, and mentioned Valle Valle, Carlos Lobo or Winter Blanco, among the others.

The defense tried to bring other witnesses to the trial who would highlight Hernandez’s role in passing the anti-graft law in Honduras. but the judge denied itmaking it increasingly clear in recent days that he wants the trial to end this week.

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In this line Judge Castel was interrupted several times Hernandez, who expanded his answers to the lawyer, challenging him to answer “yes” or “no” to questions that related not only to his mandate, but to his entire life, his origins and even his school years.

Similarly, Colon’s lawyer insisted that his questions be separate your client from Alexander ArdonProsecutor’s star witness, National Party politician Hernandez, jailed in the US and with 56 murders under his belt.

To explain Ardon’s presence in his own home, he said that one day he showed up uninvited and “sneaked” into the room where JOE was talking on the phonebut assured that he later refused to accept this person at party meetings.

Moreover, former President could refuse to testifybut he chose to sit on the stand and be questioned not only by the defense, but also by the prosecutor’s office, rather than on this very Tuesday.

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Judge Castel said last Monday that he intended to present the defense and prosecutors’ arguments on Wednesday morning and hand the case over to the jury that Wednesday. could give a verdict that afternoon. (EFE)