Once celebrated by American leaders, former Honduran president now sought on US drug charges
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — For years, U.S. officials faced an uncomfortable dilemma: The president of Honduras was one of Washington’s top allies in Central America — but evidence was mounting that he was also a drug trafficker.
U.S. prosecutors identified President Juan Orlando Hernández as a co-conspirator in a drug smuggling case against his brother and by last fall appeared ready to indict him.
But the Biden administration pushed back. White House officials were reluctant to go after a sitting head of state — especially one whose government had received hundreds of millions of dollars and other crucial support from the Americans.
They urged prosecutors to wait at least until Jan. 27, when Hernández left office and a new president was sworn in.
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