The videos began to fall in the middle of the night on social networks: the press as well as passers-by gathered in front of the home of Juan Orlando Hernández, now guarded by the national police and the military police. On Monday, the United States formally requested the extradition of the former president of Honduras, who left power last month after eight years in charge of the country. Juan Orlando Hernández has already been cited a hundred times in trials related to drug trafficking in the United States, points out The Heraldo. Although he is not yet charged, he is suspected of having been the accomplice of his brother, Antonio “Tony” Hernández, sentenced last year to life in prison by a New York federal judge. .
The American Channel CNN in Spanish said he had access to the document sent to the Honduran government: it would be a ” formal request for provisional arrest for purposes of extradition to the United States “. As of last night, Juan Orlando Hernández’s lawyers spoke out, as shown in this video posted on the independent media’s Twitter account contracorriente. The defense explains that there is, for the time being, no order of arrest against the former president. The latter is, according to one of his lawyers, protected by the immunity conferred on him by his position as an ex officio member of the Central American Parliament.
” I don’t wish it on anyone »
The Supreme Court of Justice will have to decide on this extradition request. Initially, the magistrates are convened for a plenary session on Tuesday to appoint the judge who will be responsible for examining this file. The former president himself spoke early Tuesday morning in a audio message disseminated on social networks. ” It’s not an easy time, I don’t wish it on anyone “, he says. He specifies that he informed the Honduran authorities that he would not oppose his arrest and that he was ready to defend himself in court. Juan Orlando Hernández has always denied these accusations of links with drug trafficking. He considers himself the victim of revenge on the part of the cartels for having fought them when he was president.
Guatemala: President Giammattei in the sights
Next door, in Guatemala, another president – still in office – is being prosecuted. Alejandro Giammattei is accused ” of having financed his campaign with bribes paid by a construction company “, writing El Faro in One. A witness assures that the Head of State has ” negotiated in 2019 with the minister at the time, José Luis Benito, a contribution of 2.6 million dollars to his election campaign “. ” In exchange for this money, according to the witness, Giammattei promised the Minister (…) to keep him in office for a year so that he could continue to implement a system of corruption of several million dollars within the framework road construction and maintenance contracts “. This media information El Faro are taken up by the entire Guatemalan press on Tuesday.
Nicaragua: the conditions of detention of opponents worry
In Nicaragua, the death in custody at the age of 73 of opponent Hugo Torres is increasing the pressure against President Daniel Ortega. In La Prensa, this Tuesday, the relatives of the detainees and the international community are concerned about the conditions of detention and the state of health of the dozens of opponents imprisoned last year at the same time as the veteran of the Sandinista revolution. Weight loss, coughing, vision problems linked to prolonged detention in the dark: the families maintain that these detainees are ” in mortal danger “.
Eight of them are on trial from Tuesday, including three presidential candidates. Notable fact: they will be judged together, in a group, because they belonged to the same group WhatsAppscore La Prensa. All are accused of conspiracy to undermine national integrity “. ” This offense is punishable by 5 to 10 years in prison. “says the newspaper.
Lawsuits mocked by Confidential. ” Publications on Twitter, retweets of messages from other people or international organizations, interviews given to the media, contradictory police testimonies, are all false evidence presented by the prosecution in these trials against prisoners. policies “Notes the Nicaraguan media. ” This is evidence that in a real trial would crumble in two seconds “, argues a defense lawyer on condition of anonymity.
New protest by journalists in Mexico
In Mexico, journalists gathered again in front of the Interior Ministry in Mexico City. They were accompanied by five empty chairs bearing the images of the last journalists murdered in the country. The demonstrators demanded justice, but also better working conditions, explains Process. They point out that ” that the violence against the press by the authorities and organized crime, or the collusion of the two, is aggravated by the precariousness of media workers “. A text signed by some 300 journalists, who mobilized, tells us La Razonin 17 states across the country.
American West: the worst drought for… 1,200 years
This is the result of a study published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change and conducted by climatologists from UCLA University. ” The extreme drought that has ravaged the American West for more than two decadesWrite the Los Angeles Times, now ranks as the driest 22-year period ” since the year 800. A ” mega-drought intensified by global warming », « 42% of drought severity is attributed, they say, to rising temperatures caused by the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere “. This drought, adds the washington post, ” manifested in declining levels of lakes Mead and Powell, which last summer reached their lowest level on record “. This is not expected to improve in 2022. California is already seeing conditions “ abnormally dry ” since January.