In a significant diplomatic development, former U.S. President Donald Trump has declared his intention to grant a full presidential pardon to Juan Orlando Hernández, the incarcerated former leader of Honduras. Hernández is currently serving a 45-year sentence in a U.S. federal prison following his conviction on extensive drug trafficking charges.
The announcement was made through Trump’s social media platform, where he characterized Hernández’s treatment as “very harshly and unfairly” based on consultations with respected sources. This controversial decision comes despite substantial evidence presented during Hernández’s trial demonstrating his deep involvement with international drug cartels.
During his presidency from 2014 to 2022, U.S. prosecutors established that Hernández conspired with narcotics organizations that facilitated the movement of over 400 tons of cocaine destined for American markets. The judicial proceedings revealed his acceptance of millions in bribes while leveraging presidential authority to shield allied traffickers from prosecution.
Concurrently, Trump has thrown his political weight behind conservative Honduran presidential candidate Nasry “Tito” Asfura, explicitly conditioning U.S. support for Honduras on Asfura’s victory in the upcoming Sunday election.
This development occurs against a backdrop of intensified U.S. anti-narcotics operations targeting Venezuela and other Latin American nations. The New York Times reports that Trump recently engaged in diplomatic communications with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, despite previously denouncing him as an illegitimate head of a state-sponsored trafficking network known as the Cartel de los Soles. While Caracas has consistently denied these allegations, the U.S. has conducted military operations against suspected drug vessels connected to Venezuela since early September. Potential future discussions between Trump and Maduro in the United States remain unconfirmed and without established timelines.