Prosecutors in New York state that Chapo Guzmán gave a million dollars for the campaign of the president of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández

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(Credit: Getty Images)

(CNN Spanish) - In their arguments to open the trial against Juan Antonio (Tony) Hernández in New York, prosecutors said that Chapo Guzmán delivered $ 1 million to the defendant for the campaign of his older brother, the current president of Honduras , Juan Orlando Hernández.

Tony Hernandez, also a former Honduran congressman, is accused of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, but rejects all charges against him. He was arrested on November 23, 2018 in Miami.

According to documents submitted by several federal prosecutors in August, President Hernández, his younger brother, other politicians and law enforcement officers in his country were part of a "broader criminal plan" to use drug trafficking "in order to consolidate power and control in Honduras. ”

President Juan Orlando Hernández has not been formally charged in this case and has strongly denied any involvement in drug trafficking crimes. In May of this year, he confirmed - by means of a statement - that he and several of his collaborators had been investigated by the DEA for suspected drug trafficking and money laundering, but assured that "evidence was never found against the president."

President Hernández responded in his official Twitter account to the allegations made Wednesday in court:

"The claim itself is 100% false, absurd and ridiculous ... this is less serious than" Alice in Wonderland. "

Tony Hernández's lawyers declined to comment on the allegations that his client had received from Chapo Guzmán.

Jeffrey Lichtman, Guzman's lawyer, said - for his part - that prosecutors' statements are false.

“Why was this not revealed during the trial of Chapo? It's false. The (US) government is confusing Chapo with one of its many cooperating witnesses who were not called at the trial, for a reason. Because he lacked credibility, ”said Lichtman.

Juan Orlando Hernández