Former Honduras president extradited to U.S. on drugs, weapons charges

Honduras former President Juan Orlando Hernandez is escorted by members of the National Police as they head towards a helicopter to transport him to the Hernan Acosta Mejia Air Force Base for his extradition to the United States, to face a trial on drug trafficking and arms possession charges, at a police base in Tegucigalpa, Honduras April 21, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Lazo

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) -The U.S. government on Thursday unveiled charges against former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez of participating in a cocaine-importation conspiracy and related firearms offenses, and he was extradited to the United States.

The indictment unsealed by the U.S. Justice Department marked a stunning fall from grace for the former Washington ally who led the Central American nation from 2014 to January 2022.