In Honduras, Juan Carlos Bonilla was known as “El Tigre” and was the police chief pleaded guilty to drug dealing in a federal court in New York. The former head of the National Police pleaded guilty, which meant he wouldn’t have to go to trial and could have cut his term. Former president Juan Orlando Hernández is also being charged with crimes with Bonilla. This new information puts a shadow over his trial, which is set to start soon.
Police Chief Pleads Guilty to Organized Drug Conspiracy
Police chief pleads guilty, along with that of Hernández’s cousin Mauricio Hernández Pineda, implicates a broader drug trafficking network.
Legal experts suggest this reinforces the prosecution’s narrative of an organized structure.
Hernández, facing drug trafficking and weapons charges since his extradition to the U.S. in 2022, may face pressure to negotiate his own plea deal.
READ ALSO: Missouri’s 10 Most Dangerous Cities In 2024: Crime Rates Soar Despite National Average
Police Chief Pleads Guilty on Allegations
Prosecutors accuse Hernández of using his presidency to facilitate drug trafficking, alleging ties to Bonilla’s operations within the National Police. Bonilla’s alleged involvement in protecting cocaine shipments raises questions about his past collaboration with U.S. authorities in the drug war.
Despite his history of human rights violations, including accusations of leading death squads, Bonilla had once been considered a U.S. partner in combating drug trafficking in Honduras.