Honduran ex-first lady seeks presidency after husband's conviction

March 13, 2024 12:57 PM

A former Honduran first lady said she will contest the 2025 presidential elections, an announcement that follows days after her husband's conviction for trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States.

"I have decided to launch my pre-candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic for the National Party," Ana Garcia de Hernandez posted on social media platform X on Tuesday.

The lawyer, whose husband Juan Orlando Hernandez served as president from 2014-2022, added that from Wednesday she will begin a "crusade for justice" in his defense.

He was found guilty of drugs and arms trafficking by a New York federal court on Friday and could spend the rest of his life in prison.

The 12-member jury unanimously found Hernandez guilty for conspiracy to import cocaine, illegally using and carrying machine guns and possessing machine guns as part of a "cocaine-importation conspiracy."

"I am innocent, tell the world," he told friends, relatives and supporters -- including three generals who testified on his behalf -- as he was escorted from the courtroom.

Honduras will hold elections in November 2025 to choose a replacement for President Xiomara Castro. Parties must call primaries to choose their candidates before the vote.