In San Pedro Sula, Honduras, a misleading image circulating on social media allegedly features former president Juan Orlando Hernández alongside notorious drug traffickers Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán from Mexico and Colombian Pablo Escobar. However, this content has been confirmed as false. A thorough visual and technical analysis conducted by LA PRENSA Verifica reveals that the image was created using artificial intelligence.
The Facebook post that shared the image, which has garnered over 80 shares since December 19, includes a caption that disparages the subjects, stating, “#ULTIMO_MOMENTO: [CONFIRMADO] LOS NARCOS, LOS D3LINCUENTES, Y AS3SINOS, NUNCA CAMBIAN…”. Hernández, who served as president from 2014 to 2022, was extradited to the United States in April 2022 on multiple charges related to drug trafficking and arms possession. In 2024, he was convicted in New York and sentenced to 45 years in prison. However, a significant development occurred on November 28, 2025, when then-President Donald Trump granted him a full pardon, leading to his release on December 1.
Guzmán and Escobar are renowned figures in the history of drug trafficking. Guzmán was the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel and is currently serving a life sentence in the United States, while Escobar led the Medellín Cartel until his death in December 1993 during a confrontation with authorities.
LA PRENSA Verifica’s investigation into the image uncovered several indicators of AI creation, including identical liquid levels in glasses, peculiar shadow reflections, and discrepancies in the firearms seen with El Chapo, as well as nearly identical waistbands on the characters depicted. Moreover, a watermark in the lower right corner indicates the use of Gemini, a generative AI model by Google. A reverse image search confirmed the AI-generated nature of the image, which has been circulating online for about two weeks. Analysis by AI detection tool Hive Moderation indicated a 99.9% likelihood that the content is artificially generated.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges posed by deepfake technology and misinformation in today’s digital landscape, emphasizing the importance of verifying the authenticity of images and information before sharing them. As technology continues to evolve, it becomes crucial for individuals and organizations to remain vigilant against the spread of such manipulated content.