Trump Pardons Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez
President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he will be pardoning former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was convicted in 2024 of drug trafficking and weapons charges and sentenced to 45 years in prison. The president explained his decision on social media, stating that according to many people he respects, Hernandez was “treated very harshly and unfairly.”
Background on Hernandez’s Conviction
In March of last year, Hernandez was convicted in a U.S. court of conspiring to import cocaine into the U.S. He had served two terms as the leader of the Central American nation of roughly 10 million people. Hernandez has been appealing his conviction and serving time at the U.S. Penitentiary, Hazelton in West Virginia.
Hernandez’s wife and children gathered on the steps of their home in Tegucigalpa and kneeled in prayer, thanking God that Hernandez would return to their family after almost four years apart. It was the same home that Honduran authorities hauled him out of in 2022, just months after leaving office, to be extradited to the United States to stand trial.
Reaction to the Pardon
García, Hernandez’s wife, thanked Trump, saying that he had corrected an injustice, maintaining that Hernandez’s prosecution was a coordinated plot by drug traffickers and the “radical left” to seek revenge against the former president. A lawyer for Hernandez, Renato C. Stabile, expressed gratitude for Trump’s actions, stating that “a great injustice has been righted and we are so hopeful for the future partnership of the United States and Honduras.”
Trump’s decision to pardon Hernandez is part of a broader message backing Nasry “Tito” Asfura for Honduras’ presidency, with Trump saying the U.S. would be supportive of the country if he wins. However, if Asfura loses the election this Sunday, Trump posted that “the United States will not be throwing good money after bad, because a wrong Leader can only bring catastrophic results to a country, no matter which country it is.”
Implications for Honduras’ Election
Asfura, 67, is making his second run for president for the conservative National Party. He has pledged to solve Honduras’ infrastructure needs but has previously been accused of embezzling public funds, allegations that he denies. Trump has framed Honduras’ election as a trial for democracy, suggesting that if Asfura loses, the country could fall under the influence of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
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