New York.
Next Tuesday the seventh day of the trial against Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, an alleged Honduran drug trafficker who allegedly paid bribes to politicians in exchange for their safety within Honduras
An accountant, named under the pseudonym José Sánchez, took part as a witness today, assuring that he witnessed meetings with the President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández and Geovanny Fuentes.
The meetings between the Honduran president and the alleged capo then took place Hernández conducted its presidential campaign in 2013.
According to the accountant’s report, the meetings were held in the office of Graneros Nacionales, a rice cooker allegedly drug money laundering
He explained that Hernández has visited the offices several times by helicopter to receive monthly checks for 250,000 lempiras (about $ 10,300 at current exchange rates). Sánchez revealed that the money for the campaign was from the president, that he owned the in 2013 National Congress
In his report, the accountant admitted that he was scared when he entered the office where he met the president with Fuentes Ramírez. “I met the presidential candidate with a drug lord,” he said.
He revealed that the alleged capo had given a $ 15,000 bribe to the then presidential candidate during an initial meeting. Sánchez explained that it was he himself who counted the money, while Juan Orlando he looked at his cell phone.
According to the accountant, the president said during the meeting “we will be untouchable
Sánchez repeated a phrase already heard in the early days of the Geovanny Fuentes trial, which is attributed to Hernández. He said that “he would put the drug in the gringos under their noses and they wouldn’t even notice,” he added.
In his statement before Judge Kevin Castle, the witness added that Hernández had told Fuentes Ramírez that he had an interest in them working together in a drug lab, and that he should not be concerned as they would have protection from Attorney General Óscar Chinchilla.
In addition, he explained that the movement of drugs would be carried out with the help of Armed ForcesJuan Orlando Hernández said that by the time the United States knew the truth, they would already have changed the laws in their favor, ”said Sánchez.
G’s verdicteovanny Fuentes Ramirez It is followed by several journalists on a telephone line, and others in person; On this day, however, reporters had no virtual access when José Sánchez testified, as prosecutors asked the judge not to pass on his testimony for security reasons. The witness said he fled Honduras in 2015 because his life was in danger.
President Juan Orlando Hernandez It has not yet spoken out about the statements that José Sánchez made this day in the New York courtalthough he has said on previous occasions that the drug traffickers’ testimonies are revenge for their actions against the drug cartels in Honduras.