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Brother of Honduran president convicted in drug conspiracy

Oct 18, 2019 | 11:09 AM

NEW YORK — The brother of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was convicted Friday in a massive drug conspiracy case in New York City.

Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernández is a former Honduran congressman. He was convicted of drug conspiracy, weapons charges and of lying to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The trial featured testimony that convicted Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman aided the conspiracy.

U.S. prosecutors say the drug conspiracy was protected by the Central American country’s government.

Defence lawyer Michael Tein had argued that prosecutors had insufficient evidence and that their witnesses were “liars, losers and murderers.”

The Honduran president was not charged in the case but was labeled a co-conspirator.

The president tweeted during the trial that the prosecution’s allegations were “100% false, absurd and ridiculous.”

The Associated Press