TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS.- Juan Antonio 'Tony' Hernandez, the brother of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was arrested on Friday in the United States on drug trafficking charges.
'Tony', a 40-year-old lawyer and former Honduran congressman, was arrested by U.S. authorities in Miami and transferred to New York to be charged in court.
Juan Antonio has been accused and linked in US courts for drug trafficking, during trials of Los Cachiros, a Honduran drug cartel.
'This is a heavy blow for the whole family,' the president told reporters in his hometown of Gracias, in western Honduras. 'I hope the justice system gives him the room to defend himself, and as a family we will do what we can to support him.'
Davis Leonel Maradiaga, a leader of the Cachiros testified during a trial in March 2017 in New York that 'Tony' Hernandez had taken a bribe to help launder drug funds.
Hernandez in 2016 denied his links to drug trafficking, and even traveled to the United States to declare his innocence with the federal authorities, after a former military officer (Santos Orellana) indicated he wanted to attack the US ambassador in Honduras, James Nealon.
'Tony', a 40-year-old lawyer and former Honduran congressman, was arrested by U.S. authorities in Miami and transferred to New York to be charged in court.
Juan Antonio has been accused and linked in US courts for drug trafficking, during trials of Los Cachiros, a Honduran drug cartel.
'This is a heavy blow for the whole family,' the president told reporters in his hometown of Gracias, in western Honduras. 'I hope the justice system gives him the room to defend himself, and as a family we will do what we can to support him.'
Davis Leonel Maradiaga, a leader of the Cachiros testified during a trial in March 2017 in New York that 'Tony' Hernandez had taken a bribe to help launder drug funds.
Hernandez in 2016 denied his links to drug trafficking, and even traveled to the United States to declare his innocence with the federal authorities, after a former military officer (Santos Orellana) indicated he wanted to attack the US ambassador in Honduras, James Nealon.
