President Trump has granted a presidential pardon to former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who U.S. prosecutors say was central to a large and violent cocaine‑trafficking conspiracy. A White House official confirmed the pardon and the Federal Bureau of Prisons said Hernández was released on Monday.
Hernández, who served two terms as Honduras’s leader, had been sentenced in the United States to 45 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of conspiring to import tons of cocaine into the U.S. Court records and prosecutors alleged he used his office to facilitate shipments and received millions from major trafficking networks. A federal judge called him a power‑hungry, two‑faced politician, and the U.S. attorney general said Hernández had turned the country into a narco‑state where violent traffickers operated with near impunity.
The pardon drew immediate criticism from opponents and some lawmakers, who said it undercuts the administration’s stated emphasis on combating drug trafficking—particularly as the White House has been intensifying pressure on drug flows tied to Venezuela. Sen. Tim Kaine, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee for the Western Hemisphere, called the decision shocking and noted Hernández’s conviction was among the largest criminal enterprises ever prosecuted in U.S. courts.
Hernández has long denied wrongdoing and had been appealing his conviction while incarcerated at U.S. Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia. The pardon comes less than a year into his 45‑year sentence.
During part of Hernández’s presidency he enjoyed support from the Trump administration and joined a small group of countries that moved their Israeli embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The former president’s case also received high‑profile lobbying: longtime Trump ally Roger Stone said he delivered a four‑page letter from Hernández asserting wrongful conviction and alleging “lawfare” by the Biden administration. Mr. Trump posted a message on Truth Social last week signaling the pending pardon.
Supporters of the move argued Hernández was treated unfairly; critics said the pardon raises doubts about consistency in U.S. policy and sends the wrong message on accountability for drug crimes. The decision also revived scrutiny of other controversial pardons issued since Trump returned to office—many involving political allies, business associates, and figures tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which critics have framed as examples of cronyism or pay‑to‑play forgiveness.
The White House has not provided extended public explanation for the decision beyond officials’ confirmations. The pardon will likely prompt further debate in Washington about precedent, U.S. anti‑narcotics priorities, and the diplomatic implications for Honduras and the region.