U.S. arrests and indicts former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández

U.S. authorities have arrested and indicted former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández on drug and trafficking charges, after he was extradited to the United States Thursday.

Hernández faces charges of cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

"From at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2022, Hernandez participated in a corrupt and violent drug-trafficking conspiracy to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States," the indictment reads. "As part of the conspiracy, Juan Orlando Hernandez ... received millions of dollars from multiple drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico and elsewhere, including from the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquin Guzman Loera, a/k/a 'El Chapo.'"