Archive: Jan 12, 2026, 12:00 AM

OK, I may be a little anal, but just when it comes to facts, though, yes, I, too, make the occasional mistake. But the type of mistake I may make is of an entirely different nature that doesn't involve verifiable facts…

Here’s a perfect, clear-cut example of wrong info getting carried over from one influencer/outlet to the next, becoming the ‘established’ fact amongst a huge swath of the media ecosphere, despite being wrong.

In this case, the error is benign, but I constantly see this type of ‘bad reporting’ carry over across outlets—usually, through ideologically-related parts of the mediasphere—when it also involves clear misinformation, rumours, or skewed interpretations that are tribally beneficial, and far from benign. 

The Example

The article—I can’t recall which outlet it was—that I had read in 2024 had mentioned 500 tons of cocaine in relation to the charges brought up against the former Honduran President, Juan Orlando Hernandez, who, on 26-Jun-2024, had been sentenced to 45 years of prison.

That’s the number that had always stuck in my mind: 500 tons, or 500,000 kilograms. I had also read a portion of the indictment some time later, which burned that number in my brain.

However, as his case became relevant again following Trump’s pardon, which happened while the Trump administration was actively telling the world that Nicolás Maduro is an evil narco-terrorist that needed to be ousted and imprisoned, the number that repeatedly shows up in everyone’s mention of Hernandez is now 400 tons. I'm sure that that's the number that you, too, have heard from whichever outlet or Youtuber/social-media personality you may follow. You want examples? Just look up any recent mention of Hernandez.

I’d silently mouth, “No, it’s 500,” each time. Then looked it up, just to be sure. And continue mouthing the correct amount with each mention made by all outlets, big or small.     

The charge in the indictment clearly specifies 500 tons. 

“Since at least in or about 2004, members of the conspiracy transported through Honduras more than approximately 500,000 kilograms of United States- bound cocaine.” 

And, no, I’m not confusing Metric tons (or tonnes) with U.S. tons, as the latter would bring the amount way below both the reported and official amounts, for:

400 Metric tons = 400,000 kilograms
400 US tons = 362,874 kilograms

That means that one major outlet or influencer got it wrong, and everyone else is working off of secondary sources rather than the primary source. And that those who hire fact-checkers are wasting their money? (By the way: If someone would like to hire me for fact-checking work, don’t hesitate…)

This is bad, compounding some problems, and, in many cases, merely feeding idiotic, hate-filled tribalism.
There's a reason why the media, no matter which side of the spectrum, makes me swear so much. Being anal... it's not easy.

Indictment: https://dn710202.ca.archive.org/0/items/gov.uscourts.nysd.578666/gov.uscourts.nysd.578666.423.0.pdf