Ex-Honduran president faces first hearing

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández appeared at the country's Supreme Court of Justice on Wednesday following his arrest. Police arrested Hernández at his home on Tuesday, after a request by the United States government for his extradition on drug trafficking and weapons charges.The arrest came less than three weeks after Hernández left office and followed years of allegations by U.S. prosecutors of his alleged links to drug traffickers.

Supporters from his National Party gathered outside the court, waving flags and chanting in support of the former president. Hernández's petition for house arrest was denied by the judge, who ruled that the former president would remain in detention at the base of a National Police special forces unit pending the outcome of the extradition process. The judge scheduled a court session for March 16 to hear evidence supporting the U.S. charges.