On Tuesday, Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former president of Honduras, pleaded not guilty to drug and weapons charges in Manhattan federal court. At the same time, his lawyer complained about "prisoner of war" circumstances in prison.

From 2014 through January this year, U.S. authorities have alleged that erstwhile ally and former Honduran president, Javier Hernandez, received millions of dollars in exchange for protection from arrest while he was in charge of the country. The prosecution alleges that Hernandez spent the money on personal enrichment and political campaigns.

Last month, Hernandez was extradited from El Salvador to the United States and appeared before U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel. He pleaded not guilty to three counts, including conspiracy to import cocaine and possession of weapons.

Ex-President Obama walked into the courtroom in a blue T-shirt with shackles around his ankles and spoke briefly via a Spanish interpreter to announce he was not guilty.

It's worth noting that Hernandez has refuted these claims in the past, portraying himself as a determined opponent of the drug cartels and accusing them of spreading lies about him to gain revenge and get their sentences reduced.

During a court appearance, his lawyer, Raymond Colon, stated that Hernandez had not been able to contact his family while in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Even though Colon and his assistants have been to see Hernandez once, he claims that he was repeatedly denied entry.

Hernandez stated, "He's being treated like a prisoner of war," Even though he is no longer the head of state, "We're not asking for him to get special treatment because he's a former head of state, but these conditions are psychologically debilitating."

A call for comment from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, which oversees the prison, went unanswered right away.

Castel instructed prosecutors to speak with Metropolitan Incarceration Center officials about Hernandez's detention conditions and report back to him. He scheduled Hernandez's next court appearance for September 28 and stated that a trial might begin as early as January 17, 2023.