Former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez has made a virtual appearance in federal court in New York to face drug trafficking and weapons charges after he was arrested in Honduras and extradited overnight to the United States.
Mr Hernandez, who has denied any wrongdoing, was not required to enter a plea at the 12-minute initial hearing before Magistrate Judge Stewart D Aaron in Manhattan.
A plea will occur at his next hearing on May 10th before judge P Kevin Castel, who would preside over a trial if it were to occur.
His lawyer, Raymond Colon, said he agreed “at least for the moment” to let Hernandez remain behind bars rather than attempt to convince a judge to set bail.
During Friday’s hearing, a relaxed-looking Mr Hernandez sat in a chair as he listened to the judge and lawyers through a black corded phone he held to his ear, letting Judge Aaron know he could hear and understand the proceedings.
“Yes, your honour, I am listening to you through an interpreter,” said Mr Hernandez, who could be seen taking several sips from a can of Coke before the hearing started.
As the judge read him his rights, Mr Hernandez nodded.
The magistrate judge then read a brief description of the charges he faced, telling him he was alleged to have received millions of dollars between 2004 and 2022 for his role in a drug trade that brought hundreds of thousands of kilos of drugs to the United States.
Assistant US attorney Elinor Tarlow said Hernandez, who boarded a plane on Thursday in Honduras with agents from the US drug enforcement administration – just three months after leaving office – arrived in the New York area at 12.50am local time on Friday.
US attorney general Merrick Garland has accused Hernandez of abusing his position as president of Honduras “to operate the country as a narco-state”.
Mr Hernandez, who served as president of the Central American nation from 2014 until 2022, was charged in court documents with participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
Mr Hernandez was arrested at his home in Tegucigalpa in February at the request of US authorities.
Honduras’ Supreme Court rejected his appeal against a judge’s decision favouring extradition.
His court appearance on Friday in New York was virtual because of Covid-19 protocols, authorities said.
Mr Hernandez has denied any wrongdoing.
In a video message released on Thursday, he said: “I am innocent; I have been and I am being unjustly subjected to prosecution.” – AP