Trafficker says he met with the Honduran president’s brother

NEW YORK — A convicted drug trafficker testified in a New York courtroom on Thursday that he met with the brother of current Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez to get the Central American country’s government to pay its debts with a company that the trafficker’s cartel used to launder money.

Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga, ex-leader of the cartel known the Cachiros, testified about Antonio “Tony” Hernandez in a pre-sentencing hearing for the son of retired Honduran President Porfirio Lobo Sosa.

The son — Fabio Lobo — has pleaded guilty to cocaine smuggling. Rivera Maradiaga testified earlier that he bribed both Lobos.

Rivera Maradiaga said Honduras’ government owed money to Inrimar, a company it did business with that the Cachiros also used to launder drug profits.