Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
The defense of Juan Orlando Hernández, Honduran president between 2014 and 2022, will request that the case be annulled or the charges be dropped, arguing that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA, for its acronym in English) of the United States maintains alleged classified evidence against him.
Raymond Colón, Hernández’s main lawyer, who was extradited to the United States after being accused by that country of alleged links to large-scale drug trafficking, visited Honduras in recent days and met with relatives of the former president. Ana GarcíaHernández’s wife, published a photograph confirming the lawyer’s visit.
”I only know of unclassified evidence. We have a dispute in terms of evidence that is classified by the CIA. It seems that the CIA does not want to hand it over to the government and if they do not hand it over, I am going to ask that all charges be discharged,” Colón explained.
Colón considers that if the CIA does not present the evidence that they keep classified “the judge is going to have to annul the case because if they do not give us that evidence we cannot form a deep defense. They are denying due process.” Colón assures that in December the results could be seen.
BAIL OF JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ
Raymond Colón commented that he and the other members of the defense already have everything ready to request the bail that will be presented “in a couple of weeks.”
Likewise, he denounced that “we have not had much time with him (Juan Orlando Hernández) to review the evidence, only three or four hours and they deal with 10 to 15 hours a day.”
“In 10 days the bail request will be presented,” added Colón, who also pointed out that “they are members of the Jewish community who will support the bail” that would be around one million dollars. Colón finished by saying that Hernández watches the news in prison and that he “can talk to his family for 15 minutes a day.”
CHARGES AGAINST JUAN ORLANDO HERNÁNDEZ
Charge I detailed: conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the United States from a place outside the United States, as well as manufacturing and distributing a controlled substance with the intent and knowledge that said substance would be illegally imported into that country. Likewise, manufacturing, distributing, and knowingly possessing and distributing a controlled substance aboard an aircraft registered in the United States.
Charge II detailed: using or carrying firearms, aiding and abetting the use and carrying and possession of firearms, namely: machine guns and destructive devices during and in connection with, or possessing firearms, including machine guns and destructive devices in support of and aiding and abetting the narcotics importation conspiracy referred to in count one of the superseding indictment.
Charge III detailed: conspiracy to use or carry firearms including machine guns and destructive devices, during and in connection with, or possess firearms including machine guns and destructive devices, in furtherance of narcotics importation conspiracy.