In a significant and controversial move, former US President Donald Trump has declared he will grant a full pardon to Juan Orlando Hernández, the former President of Honduras, who is currently serving a 45-year prison sentence in the United States for drug trafficking and related weapons charges.
The Conviction and Sentencing
The conviction, delivered by a US court in March 2024, found Hernández guilty of accepting millions of dollars in bribes to protect multi-ton shipments of cocaine destined for the United States. Prosecutors successfully argued that he had enabled drug traffickers to use his country's military and national police force, creating what was described as a "cocaine superhighway" to the US.
Hernández, who led Honduras from 2014 to 2022 and was considered a key US ally in Central America, was sentenced in June of last year. He has consistently maintained that his conviction was wrongful.
Trump's Announcement and Political Context
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform, stating he would be granting a "Full and Complete Pardon" to Hernández, whom he claimed had been treated "very harshly and unfairly." This decision comes despite Trump's frequent public positioning as a leader tough on drug-related crime.
His administration had previously designated several drug cartels as foreign terrorist organisations and pursued a "war on drugs" policy that included deadly airstrikes condemned by the United Nations as extrajudicial executions.
The pardon pledge was part of a broader post endorsing Tito Asfura for the Honduran presidency in the imminent elections. Trump suggested US support would be contingent on an Asfura victory, warning that backing the wrong leader would lead to "catastrophic results" and that the US would not throw "good money after bad."
Broader Implications and Upcoming Election
Honduras is currently governed by Xiomara Castro, a leftist leader who has forged closer ties with Cuba and Venezuela. Despite her ideological stance, her administration has maintained pragmatic cooperation with the US, continuing extradition treaties and accepting deported citizens.
The upcoming presidential election remains highly contested, with polls showing Asfura, the former mayor of Tegucigalpa, virtually tied with candidates from the ruling LIBRE Party and the centrist Liberal Party. The outcome will determine Honduras's leadership from 2026 to 2030, with international observers from the Organization of American States and the US monitoring the process closely amid concerns over the electoral integrity.
