The son of former Honduran President Porfirio Lobo was ordered held without bail Friday on U.S. cocaine-trafficking charges.
Fabio Lobo Lobo was jailed following an appearance in federal court in Manhattan. The 43-year-old son was arrested Wednesday in Haiti in an anti-drug operation carried out by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Haitian authorities.
An indictment accused Lobo of conspiring with others from 2009 and 2014 to violate U.S. narcotics laws to smuggle more than 5 kilograms of cocaine into the United States.
"As alleged, Fabio Lobo attempted to break U.S. law by conspiring to traffic in cocaine," U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. "Being the son of a former public official, though, does not mean that you are above the law."
Lobo's defense lawyer had no immediate response to a message left Friday.
The elder Lobo served as Honduras' president from 2010 to 2014. He was elected following a coup that removed Manuel Zelaya from the presidency in 2009.
Porfirio Lobo said Thursday in an interview with the Honduran government's Channel 8 television that he was facing a situation that he would never wish on any parent.
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"I cannot say that he is guilty; I cannot say that he is not," Lobo said.
"Fabio is not a child," Lobo added. "He is a man with a family and must answer for his actions."
