Ex-Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández Freed After Trump Pardon

UPDATE: Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was released from prison on October 23, 2023, following a controversial pardon by former President Donald Trump. Hernández had been serving a 45-year sentence for his role in trafficking 360 tonnes of cocaine to the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirmed his release from U.S. Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia.

The news has sparked immediate outrage among lawmakers, particularly Democrats, who argue that pardoning a convicted drug trafficker undermines efforts to combat narco-trafficking. Senator Tim Kaine described the pardon as “shocking,” emphasizing that Hernández led one of the largest criminal enterprises ever convicted in U.S. courts.

Hernández’s wife, Ana García, expressed gratitude to Trump via the social media platform X, stating, “After almost four years of pain… my husband Juan Orlando Hernández RETURNED to being a free man, thanks to the presidential pardon granted by President Donald Trump.”

Hernández was arrested in February 2022 at the request of the U.S. and was convicted in a New York federal court after prosecutors revealed he had taken bribes from drug traffickers. During his trial, it was revealed that he had boasted about moving drugs into the U.S. alongside these traffickers.

In response to inquiries about the pardon, Trump claimed it was a decision made at the request of many Hondurans who believed Hernández was “set up.” This claim has been met with skepticism, given the overwhelming evidence presented during the trial.

The implications of this pardon extend beyond Hernández’s release. It injects new tension into Honduran politics, as current President Xiomara Castro oversees ongoing investigations into corruption tied to Hernández’s administration. Castro’s Attorney General, Johel Zelaya, indicated that his office would pursue justice against Hernández, although specific charges remain unspecified.

The timing of the pardon is particularly notable, occurring just days before Honduras’s presidential election, which adds a layer of complexity to an already tense political climate. Trump’s endorsement of the National Party’s candidate, Nasry Asfura, has further intensified discussions around the election.

Republican lawmakers have also voiced mixed reactions to the pardon. Senator Bill Cassidy criticized the decision, questioning why a convicted drug lord would be pardoned while the U.S. targets other drug traffickers, like Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

As the situation unfolds, Hernández’s immediate future remains uncertain. While he is now free, the prospect of new legal challenges in Honduras looms large. Observers are keenly watching how this development will affect both U.S.-Honduran relations and the ongoing fight against drug trafficking in the region.

Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.