Two key codefendants in drug case of Honduran ex president change plea to guilty

Two co-defendants of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández pleaded guilty Thursday in a New York federal court, in a dramatic turnaround in the case against the ex-president on drug trafficking and weapons charges.

The Guatemalan cousins, Ronald and Otto Salguero, had initially pleaded not guilty. Their change of plea is a blow to Hernandez, as it strengthens the government's overall case involving multiple co-defendants, several of whom have also pleaded guilty. Two others were found guilty at trial, including Hernandez's brother, Juan Antonio Hernandez.

The Salgueros' change of plea is "a clear signal that they concede the prosecutors' theory of the case and accept responsibility for their role in it, as opposed to challenging that theory," said a former federal prosecutor.

The trial of Juan Orlando Hernández is scheduled for April 2023.

The Salgueros allegedly witnessed a $1 million bribe from notorious Mexican drug trafficker Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman to Hernandez's 2013 presidential campaign. The alleged bribe is the most explosive evidence against Hernandez, and played a key role in the conviction of his brother Juan Antonio Hernandez in 2021, accused of personally receiving the money at a meeting in northern Honduras.

What benefits could the Salgueros gain by pleading guilty?

By pleading guilty, the cousins could hope to obtain a reduction in their sentences, something less than the life sentence they were facing. However, the of the plea agreement are unknown. It appears that the Salgueros have not signed any type of cooperation agreement with the government, according to court records. In that case, they would not be required to testify at Hernandez's trial.

While not good news for Hernandez, it could have been worse if the Salgueros had agreed to cooperate with the government and testify against him at his trial, potentially corroborating a key piece of evidence against him.

The Salgueros pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. They are scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2023.

Another key co-defendant, former Honduran police chief Juan Carlos Bonilla, was extradited to the United States in May on drug trafficking charges. He also faces life in prison, although it is unclear whether or not he is cooperating with the government.

Meanwhile, another co-defendant, Mauricio Hernandez Pineda, a former police officer and cousin of President Hernandez, will also go on trial in January. His decision to go to trial after more than two years of negotiations with prosecutors was a blow to the government's attempts to obtain more witnesses against the former president ahead of his trial. Hernandez Pineda was allegedly present at the meeting in which El Chapo paid the alleged $1 million bribe to Hernandez's campaign.