The 55-year-old ex-president was convicted on Friday of three counts, including conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and to use machine guns and "destructive devices."

Once considered a reliable Central American ally by both the Obama and Trump administrations, Hernández earned praise from former President Donald Trump for his efforts in combating drug trafficking. However, the recent verdict highlights a downfall in his political career. This rare instance marks the conviction of a former leader of a country in the United States on drug-related charges since the case of Panamanian Gen. Manuel Noriega in 1992.

Hernández, who served as a Honduran congressman, congress leader, and two-term president, was arrested in February 2022 shortly after completing his second presidential term. During his trial, he acknowledged that drug cartels had bribed numerous politicians in Honduras but claimed he never accepted any bribes himself. Hernández argued that drug dealers were fabricating lies to tarnish his reputation and cited his close ties with American officials, including presidents, as evidence of his commitment to assisting the U.S. in its fight against drugs.

Prosecutors presented convicted drug dealers as witnesses, who testified that they had paid millions of dollars to Hernández for his presidential campaigns in 2013 and 2017. These witnesses further alleged that the former president provided protection to some of the world's most notorious drug traffickers. The U.S. Department of Justice, in a statement, described Hernández as being at the center of a major drug-trafficking conspiracy and accused him of turning Honduras into a "narco-state" where violent drug traffickers operated with impunity.

Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that Hernández had abused his position as president, allowing drug traffickers to operate freely and causing both Honduran and American citizens to suffer the consequences. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram highlighted the collaboration between Hernández and the leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, claiming they worked together to smuggle dangerous drugs into American communities.

The verdict was announced after two weeks of trial and on the second day of deliberations, closely watched by Hernández's home country. This conviction holds major implications for the political landscape of Honduras and sends a strong message about the consequences of engaging in drug trafficking at the highest levels of power.

The sentencing phase of the trial is yet to be determined, but Hernández's conviction adds another chapter to the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and corruption in the region.