Honduras' ex-president is arrested as the U.S. seeks his extradition on drug charges

Honduras' ex-president is arrested as the U.S. seeks his extradition¹ on drug charges

Transcript²

The man who was president of Honduras until just a few weeks ago will now face a federal judge.

The U.S. has asked that former President Juan Orlando Hernández be extradited to stand trial on drug trafficking and weapons charges. He appeared in court on Wednesday morning in Honduras.

Hernández was escorted out of his home Tuesday with chains on his wrists and ankles, police officers lowered a bulletproof vest over his head — all broadcast on live TV.

It's quite a fall from grace for the longtime ally of the U.S.

Honduran Security Minister Ramón Sabillón told reporters in a raucous³ press conference that the arrest went off without incident. Sabillón had actually been fired by Hernández in 2014, after making several high-profile arrests of drug traffickers as head of the national police.

Sabillón said Hernández conspired⁴ with cartels, causing great social harm to Honduras and its justice system.

A U.S. Justice Department official told NPR there was no comment regarding the case at this time.

However, evidence had been mounting in recent years about Hernández's involvement with international traffickers. In U.S. federal court proceedings⁵ — including last year's case against his brother, Tony Hernández — the former president was described as a co-conspirator. Tony Hernández was sentenced to life in a U.S. prison.

Hernández has long said that he's innocent and that testimony⁶ against him was coerced⁷ by prosecutors⁸.

Last night in the Honduran capital, drivers honked⁹ horns, revelers waved Honduran flags, and some held up pictures of the chained Hernández with the words "Thanks U.S.A." and "This is what we dreamed of."

Reporter Paulo Cerrato interviewed several demonstrators for NPR.

"This is a happy day," said 38-year-old teacher Gilberto Sanabria. But he adds that seeing Hernández chained is just a reminder¹⁰ of all the poverty and corruption¹¹ he brought to Honduras.

Hernández's nearly decade-long tenure¹² was marked by dramatic lawlessness, high homicide rates and record migration¹³ out of the country.

1 extradition   

n.引渡（逃犯）

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight,awaiting extradition to Britain.这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• He began to trouble concerning the extradition laws.他开始费尽心思地去想关于引渡法的问题。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 raucous   

adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的

参考例句：

• I heard sounds of raucous laughter upstairs.我听见楼上传来沙哑的笑声。
• They heard a bottle being smashed,then more raucous laughter.他们听见酒瓶摔碎的声音，然后是一阵更喧闹的笑声。

4 conspired   

密谋( conspire的过去式和过去分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致

参考例句：

• They conspired to bring about the meeting of the two people. 他们共同促成了两人的会面。
• Bad weather and car trouble conspired to ruin our vacation. 恶劣的气候连同汽车故障断送了我们的假日。

5 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

6 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

7 coerced   

v.迫使做( coerce的过去式和过去分词 )；强迫；（以武力、惩罚、威胁等手段）控制；支配

参考例句：

• They were coerced into negotiating a settlement. 他们被迫通过谈判解决。
• He was coerced into making a confession. 他被迫招供。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

9 honked   

v.（使）发出雁叫似的声音，鸣（喇叭），按（喇叭）( honk的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I drove up in front of the house and honked. 我将车开到屋子前面然后按喇叭。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He honked his horn as he went past. 他经过时按响了汽车喇叭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

11 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

12 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

13 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。