Government of Honduras rejects accusations against President Hernandez in the "Tony" Hernández trial

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Oct. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Government of Honduras, in light of the wave of speculations released through different communication media following the start of the trial against Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernández, energetically clarified that at no time did the New York District Attorney handling this criminal case provide evidence that President Juan Orlando Hernández, received money from the Mexican drug trafficker Joaquín Guzmán Loera.

"These are false and baseless accusations that unfairly seek to harm the country's image and discredit President Hernández, who has been the individual criminals fear the most in Honduras” said the President’s office through an statement.

Honduras Government also reiterated that the country has become hostile territory for drug trafficking. According to the International Maritime Center Against Drug Trafficking of Colombia, the Central American country has dropped from first to twelfth in the ranking of countries that receive drugs in route to the United States. 

This result is due in large part to the fact that since 2010, when President Juan Orlando Hernández headed the National Congress, Honduras led a transnational anti-crime strategy which included the approval of more than 20 laws and instruments, including extradition.

Since 2014, there have been 24 extradition proceedings, and a dozen drug traffickers had been brought to justice thus breaking up the six most powerful drug trafficking cartels operating in Honduras, and ending their reigns of terror.

The Government of Honduras states that it will continue taking down criminals, drug traffickers, and anyone who has agreements with them with the intent of reversing extradition and laws that allow the seizure of assets and money laundering, as well as the leaders of the organized crime who want to take advantage of the climate of disinformation to achieve their ends at any cost.

SOURCE President of the Government of Honduras