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(CNN Spanish) - A cooperating witness from the New York prosecution in the trial against Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernández, former Honduran congressman and brother of the current president of the country, said he paid US $ 100,000 to the campaigns of today's president, Juan Orlando Hernández , for his re-election as president of the congress in 2009 and Porfirio Lobo Sosa, who won the presidential elections that same year.
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During the third day of the trial against Tony Hernández on Friday, drug trafficker Victor Hugo Díaz Morales, who has pleaded guilty and is now a prosecution witness as part of a cooperation agreement, explained that he made the payment to the campaigns to Defendant's request.
As Díaz Morales testified, Tony Hernández recommended making payments to ensure connections with senior officials in the country and thus obtain protection during drug trafficking through the Honduran territory.
(Credit: ORLANDO SIERRA / AFP / Getty Images)
The defendant's lawyers have refused to comment on charges against Tony Hernandez while the trial is ongoing. However, Tony Hernández's defense team will have the opportunity to question the allegations made by Díaz Morales.
The drug trafficker also explained that at least four high-ranking agents within the Honduran police collaborated with the group of drug traffickers to facilitate the passage of the drug to Guatemala.
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Former President Lobo Sosa assured the news today of Televicentro, an affiliate of CNN, on Friday that "he does not know Díaz Morales and has never received drug trafficking financing." CNN contacted Lobo Sosa and is waiting for an answer.
For his part, the president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, has denied any link with drug trafficking. At a press conference on Thursday, the president said the statements in the New York court "are intended to discredit and destabilize the only government that has attacked drug trafficking."
CNN contacted the Office of the President to obtain a comment on this new statement but has not received a reply.
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 and has denied all the accusations against him.
Josefina de la Fuente and Yilber Vega contributed to this report