Former Honduran President Found Guilty of Trafficking Cocaine to the US

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was found guilty of trafficking tons of cocaine to the United States.

The prosecutor argued that Mr. Hernández’s criminal activities almost turned Honduras into a “narco kindgom” where the police and military were used to protect gangs of drug traffickers and shipments of narcotics.

Court documents show that the former president began dealing with drug traffickers as a congressman, back in 2004. Over the following 18 years, he facilitated the flow of at least 500 tons of cocaine to the US.

Mr. Hernández is the first head of State convicted of drug trafficking by the US  since Manuel Noriega (from Panama) in 1992.

Juan Hernández’s trial has laid bare the extent to which drug trafficking gangs have infiltrated governments in Latin America.

US media reports allege Hernández managed to deceive the White House by posing as a collaborator of the US’ fight against the transnational drug trade.

American analysts now suspect other Latin American politicians may be using similar tactics. To make matters worse, there’s concern over drug cartels having enough money and muscle to influece elections in the region.