In an unexpected turn of events, former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was sentenced last year to 45 years in prison for his involvement in a massive drug trafficking operation, has been freed after receiving a pardon from former U.S. President Donald Trump. This development was confirmed by officials on Tuesday, marking a significant shift in the political landscape of Honduras.

Hernández, once considered a key ally of the United States, was embroiled in a scandal that prosecutors claimed revealed the extensive reach of drug cartels within Honduras. His release follows closely on the heels of the country’s recent presidential election, adding another layer of complexity to the region’s political dynamics. Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, defended his decision to pardon Hernández, suggesting that many in Honduras believed the former president had been unfairly targeted, despite evidence presented by prosecutors that he facilitated the transit of vast quantities of cocaine through the nation.

This pardon arises amid Trump’s controversial and robust anti-narcotics strategy, which has sparked debate throughout Latin America. The administration has been conducting numerous maritime operations, targeting vessels alleged to be transporting drugs northward. These actions have resulted in deadly confrontations, which the Trump administration claims are justified military actions against drug cartels. However, critics argue that these operations push the boundaries of international law and serve as a broader strategy to exert pressure on Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro.

In recent months, U.S. forces have carried out 21 documented strikes against suspected drug-carrying vessels, resulting in the deaths of at least 83 individuals. The administration maintains that these measures are crucial to curbing the drug flow into the United States, likening the approach to the war on terror against al-Qaida post-9/11.

Hernández’s wife applauds his release

Reacting to the news of the pardon, Ana García, Hernández’s wife, expressed her gratitude to Trump in a message posted on the social platform X on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday outside her home in Tegucigalpa, she thanked Trump for pardoning her husband and drew a parallel between the two men.

“Today the whole world realizes that, like they did with President Donald Trump, the same Southern District, the same prosecutor created a political case,” García said.

She said Hernández called her Monday evening to say he was in the office of the prison head and had been told he will be released. García said Hernández is in an undisclosed location for his safety, but that he plans to address the Honduran people on Wednesday.

Hernández’s attorney Renato Stabile said in an emailed statement he also would not share the former president’s current location.

García said the process to seek a pardon began several months ago with a petition to the office of pardons. Then on Oct. 28, Hernández’s birthday, he wrote a letter to Trump. He announced he was pardoning Hernández last Friday.

“My husband is the president who has done the most for Honduras in the fight against organized crime,” Garcia said.

Trump’s rationale for the pardon

Trump was asked Sunday why he pardoned Hernández.

“I was asked by Honduras, many of the people of Honduras,” Trump told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One.

“The people of Honduras really thought he was set up, and it was a terrible thing,” he said.

“They basically said he was a drug dealer because he was the president of the country. And they said it was a Biden administration set-up,” Trump said. “And I looked at the facts and I agreed with them.”

Stabile, the attorney, said Hernández is glad the “ordeal” is over.

“On behalf of President Hernández and his family I would like to thank President Trump for correcting this injustice,” Stabile said.

Democratic lawmakers expressed condemnation and disbelief that Trump issued the pardon.

“They prosecute him, find him guilty of selling narcotics through these cartels into the United States. Can you think of anyone more reprehensible than that? Selling drugs to this country, finding more victims by the day,” said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois in a speech on the Senate floor.

“This is not an action by a President trying to keep America safe from narcotics,” Durbin added.

The Trump administration has declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and has carried out strikes in the Caribbean against boats the White House says were carrying drugs.

The case against the former president

Hernández was arrested at the request of the United States in February 2022, weeks after current President Xiomara Castro took office.

Two years later, Hernández was sentenced to 45 years in prison in a New York federal courtroom for taking bribes from drug traffickers so they could safely move some 400 tons (360 metric tons) of cocaine north through Honduras to the United States.

Hernández maintained throughout that he was innocent and the victim of revenge by drug traffickers he had helped extradite to the United States.

During his sentencing, federal Judge P. Kevin Castel said the punishment should serve as a warning to “well educated, well dressed” individuals who gain power and think their status insulates them from justice when they do wrong.

Hernández portrayed himself as a hero of the anti-drug trafficking movement who teamed up with American authorities under three U.S. presidential administrations to reduce drug imports.

But the judge said trial evidence proved the opposite and that Hernández employed “considerable acting skills” to make it seem that he strongly opposed drug trafficking while he deployed his nation’s police and military to protect the drug trade.

Hernández is not guaranteed a quick return to Honduras.

Immediately after Trump announced his intention to pardon Hernández, Honduras Attorney General Johel Zelaya said via X that his office was obligated to seek justice and put an end to impunity.

He did not specify what charges Hernández could face in Honduras. There were various corruption-related investigations of his administration across two terms in office that did not lead to charges against him. Castro, who oversaw Hernández’s arrest and extradition to the U.S., will remain in office until January.

The pardon promised by Trump days before Honduras’ presidential election injected a new element into the contest that some said helped the candidate from his National Party Nasry Asfura as the vote count proceeded Tuesday.

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