In a surprising announcement, Donald Trump stated that he will grant a full and complete pardon to former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández. Currently serving a 45-year prison sentence in the United States for drug trafficking and weapons charges, Hernández's case has drawn significant attention. Trump made the announcement via a post on Truth Social, expressing that Hernández has been treated "very harshly and unfairly" according to various respected sources.
In March 2022, Hernández was convicted in a US court for accepting millions in bribes to facilitate the transport of cocaine to the United States. During the trial, assistant US attorney Jacob Gutwillig described Hernández as having "paved a cocaine superhighway to the United States." Despite his conviction, Hernández maintains that he was wrongfully accused. He served two terms as the head of the Central American nation, which has a population of approximately 10 million, and was regarded as a key ally of the Trump administration.
Interestingly, Trump's decision to pardon Hernández comes at a time when he is promoting himself as tough on drug-related issues. Throughout his presidency, the Trump administration labeled several drug cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations" and utilized claims of a "war on drugs" to justify military strikes on maritime vessels across the Caribbean and Pacific. These operations have sparked condemnation from the United Nations and various humanitarian organizations, which have criticized them as extrajudicial executions.
Trump's post also included support for Tito Asfura, a candidate in the upcoming Honduran presidential elections. Trump emphasized that the United States would back Honduras if Asfura wins. However, he warned that if Asfura loses, the US would not continue to invest in a "wrong leader," suggesting that poor leadership could lead to catastrophic outcomes for the nation.
Asfura's political party had established a strong partnership with Washington during Hernández's administration, which lasted from 2014 to 2022. Hernández was arrested shortly after leaving office, leading to a shift in governance in Honduras.
Since 2021, Xiomara Castro has been the president of Honduras, aligning herself closely with Cuba and Venezuela. These countries are facing significant economic and human rights challenges, and their governments have drawn criticism from the Trump administration. Despite her leftist approach, Castro has maintained a pragmatic relationship with the US, even receiving a visit from US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Additionally, she has refrained from enacting threats to terminate Honduras' extradition treaty and military cooperation with the US.
Under Castro's leadership, Honduras has also seen the repatriation of its citizens from the US and has acted as a transit point for deported Venezuelans.
As Honduras prepares for elections this Sunday, the political landscape remains uncertain. Recent polls indicate that Asfura, the former mayor of Tegucigalpa, is nearly tied with former defense minister Rixi Moncada of the ruling leftist LIBRE Party, as well as television host Salvador Nasralla from the centrist Liberal Party. The candidate who secures a simple majority will govern Honduras from 2026 to 2030.
Political analysts have expressed concerns that multiple candidates may claim victory, which could complicate the electoral outcome. Both the Organization of American States and the US government are closely monitoring the electoral process to ensure transparency and fairness.