Former Guatemalan President, Alfonso Portillo, pleaded not guilty to a federal judge in New York during a hearing four days after being extradited for charges of money laundering.
"Yes," said Portillo almost inaudibly when Judge Robert Patterson asked if he pleaded not guilty of conspiracy to launder tens of millions of dollars in U.S. banks during his government.
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With a team of five lawyers, the former president was calm during the short hearing that lasted approximately half an hour.
David Rosenfield, one of Portillo's lawyers, informed the judge that in 10 to 14 days, his team will present him with a bond package to try to secure the release of his client during the trial.
"When the package is ready we will ask for a hearing date. We still have to prepare the amount, the proposal that we will be offering. We are confident that the judge will accept it," said Rosenfield at the end of the hearing.
Alfonso Portillo was extradited on May 24 from Guatemala City, and is now at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York. This is the first Latin American politician to be handed to American authorities.
The crime with which he is charged is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, according to U.S. law.
The start date of the trial has not yet been established. According to Portillo's lawyers, it could be up to a year from now.
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