Honduran Cartel Figure Testifies He Bribed Presidents B

New York, Oct 12 (AP) The former boss of Honduras' Los Cachiros cartel testified Friday that he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to the current and former presidents of Honduras in exchange for protection from extradition to the United States and other favours.

Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga said in a Manhattan court that he gave then-President Porfirio Lobo between USD 500,000 and USD 600,000 in 2009 and alleged that Lobo helped him launder the proceeds from drug trafficking.

Rivera Maradiaga also said he paid a USD 250,000 bribe to current President Juan Orlando Hernández, without specifying the date.

He said he bribed many Honduran politicians, including the current minister of security.

Lobo has denied wrongdoing, saying last week that he did not receive illicit money from anyone and calling accusations against him "falsehoods from criminals who are trying to reduce their sentence in the USA."

Juan Orlando Hernández, who is not charged, has similarly called allegations against him lies by "confessed murderers" who want lesser prison sentences and to get revenge against him for his extradition and anti-crime actions.

Rivera Maradiaga's testimony came on the seventh day of the drug trafficking trial against Tony Hernández, Hernández's brother.

The former trafficker, who acknowledged being responsible for 78 murders, later said on the witness stand that the leaders of another cartel, los Valle Valle, told him in 2014 that they planned to assassinate Juan Orlando Hernández because he stopped taking their calls after they helped finance his presidential campaign.

The testimony adds to a string of corruption and bribery accusations made at the trial. (AP)

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