Police arrested former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez at his home on Tuesday, a step towards fulfilling a request by the US government for his extradition on drug trafficking and weapons charges.
The arrest came shortly after a Honduran judge signed an arrest order and less than three weeks after Hernandez left office. It follows years of allegations by US prosecutors of the Honduran leader’s reported links to drug traffickers.
Mr Hernandez exited his home flanked by police, shackled at the wrists and ankles, and wearing a bulletproof jacket. He entered a police vehicle and was driven away.
The Supreme Court of Justice had designated a judge on Tuesday morning to handle the case and hours later the judge signed the order for Mr Hernandez’s arrest, said court spokesman Melvin Duarte. Agents from the security ministry, which had Mr Hernandez’s home surrounded since Monday evening, moved quickly to arrest him.
Honduran Security Minister Ramon Sabillon, who was fired by Mr Hernandez as head of the National Police in 2014, said on Tuesday that Mr Hernandez had conspired “with cartels to traffic [drugs] and corrupt many public institutions, which led to social deterioration and undermined the application of justice in Honduras".
He said the main charges Mr Hernandez faces in the US are drug trafficking, using weapons for drug trafficking and conspiracy to use weapons in drug trafficking.
US prosecutors in New York had repeatedly implicated Mr Hernandez as a co-conspirator during his brother’s 2019 drug trafficking trial, alleging that his political rise was fuelled by drug profits.
His brother, Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison on drug and weapons charges in March 2021. The US characterised the crimes as “state-sponsored drug trafficking”.
The US moves were a long-awaited fall for a leader reviled in his home country but who had enjoyed support from the Donald Trump administration. He had been kept at arm’s length by the Joe Biden administration, which has spoken out about Central America’s endemic corruption being a root cause of migration.
Honduran criminal lawyer Marlon Duarte said that the extradition process against Mr Hernandez, if it moves ahead, would not last more than three months.
At an initial hearing, Mr Hernandez will be informed of the charges and be held on a military base.
Within two months, another hearing will be held in which the US evidence will be presented and the judge will make a decision on whether he should be extradited.
If the judge rules for extradition, Mr Hernandez will have three days to appeal. Then the appellate court — also named by the Supreme Court — will decide within five days whether to confirm the extradition or overturn the judge’s decision.
If the judge denies extradition, the US government will have an opportunity to appeal.
Mr Hernandez left office on January 27 with the swearing in of President Xiomara Castro. The same day, he was sworn in as Honduras’s representative to the Central American Parliament.
One of his lawyers, Hermes Ramirez, told local media his client had immunity as a member of the regional body and said government forces were not following proper procedures.
Mr Hernandez often pointed to the fact that Honduras began allowing the extradition of its citizens on drug trafficking charges while he was president of the Congress as part of his defence.
But US prosecutors have alleged that he was taking bribes from drug traffickers on the promise of protecting them once he was president.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
Brief scores:
Juventus 3
Dybala 6', Bonucci 17', Ronaldo 63'
Frosinone 0
The UN General Assembly President in quotes:
YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”
PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”
OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”
REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
Barbie
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
3%20Body%20Problem
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