Juan Orlando Hernández, a former president of Honduras, has been extradited to the United States to face drug trafficking and money laundering accusations. Mr Hernández, who ruled the Central American country until January, was flown to New York by the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

        Just weeks after his second term in office ended, he was detained at his residence. The ex-leader has denied any culpability, claiming that he is being falsely accused by disgruntled drug dealers.

        Mr. Hernández is accused of the following: Using or carrying firearms, especially machine guns, to illegally import a banned narcotic into the United States a plan to use or carry a handgun.

        He refuted the charges in a video broadcast on his wife's Twitter account, saying: "I am completely blameless. I've been put through a rigged trial." Mr Hernández will make his initial appearance before a New York court on Friday, according to a statement from the US Department of Justice.

        Former President Bill Clinton "partnered with some of the world's most prolific narcotics traffickers to construct a corrupt and brutally murderous business predicated on the unlawful trafficking of tons of cocaine," according to US Attorney Damian Williams.

        Mr Hernández was described by Anne Milgram, the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as "a pivotal role in one of the world's largest and most vicious cocaine trafficking networks." The trial of his younger brother Tony, a former member of the Honduran Congress who was condemned to life in jail last year, sparked the 53-year-legal old's woes.        

        Prosecutors claimed during Tony Hernández's New York trial that known Mexican drug kingpin Joaqun "El Chapo" Guzmán had personally paid the younger Hernández $1 million (£765,000). According to the authorities, "El Chapo" instructed Tony Hernández to provide the money to his elder brother, Juan Orlando, in order to help him fund his presidential campaign.

        During his eight years as president, Juan Orlando Hernández is suspected of accepting millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for safeguarding drug traffickers from investigation, arrest, and extradition. The US outlined some of the allegations in greater detail in its extradition request, accusing the former president of "participating in a violent drug trafficking conspiracy to receive shipments of multiple tonnes of cocaine sent to Honduras by air or sea routes from Colombia and Venezuela and other locations."

        According to the request, the narcotics were transferred to the Guatemalan border and subsequently to the United States, totaling 500 tonnes since 2004. Mr. Hernández has contested the charges, claiming that he fought drug dealers with all available resources.

        The former president, who was elected in 2014, claims the evidence against him was made up by drug traffickers seeking vengeance after his administration deported them to the United States. Since his arrest on February 15, he has been held in police custody.