Trump to Pardon Ex-Honduran President Convicted of Cocaine Trafficking Amid Election Campaign
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US President Donald Trump has announced plans to pardon Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former president of Honduras, who is serving a 45-year sentence for involvement in a massive cocaine trafficking operation. The move, made via a Truth Social post just two days before Honduras' national election, has sparked controversy and raised questions about the motives behind the decision. Hernandez, who served as Honduras' president from 2014 to 2022, was convicted by a federal jury in New York in June 2024 of drug trafficking and weapons offenses. Prosecutors alleged that he and his co-conspirators trafficked over 400 tons of cocaine through Honduras, a major hub for shipments from Colombia, and that he took millions of dollars in bribes to shield traffickers, including his brother. Trump's decision to pardon Hernandez comes as his administration has ramped up efforts to combat drug trafficking in the region, including conducting air strikes against alleged drug boats and designating Venezuela's Cartel of the Suns as a foreign terrorist organization. The move has also been seen as a bid to boost the chances of Trump-endorsed candidate Nasry Asfura, a former mayor of Tegucigalpa, in Sunday's election. The US government has accused Venezuela's socialist president, Nicolas Maduro, of being involved in the Cartel of the Suns, a claim that Venezuela rejects. The US has assembled its largest military presence in the region in decades, fueling speculation about potential military action against Venezuela. Trump's announcement has been met with criticism, with some questioning the fairness of the pardon and the motivations behind it. The pardon is set to be finalized before the end of Trump's term, despite Hernandez's conviction and lengthy sentence.
