The president took to social media to clarify his decision, asserting that “according to many people whom I hold in high regard,” Hernandez was “subjected to excessive and unjust treatment.”

Last March, Hernandez was found guilty in a U.S. court for conspiring to smuggle cocaine into the United States. Prior to his conviction, he had completed two terms as the president of a Central American country with a population of around ten million.

While appealing his conviction, Hernandez is currently incarcerated at the U.S. Penitentiary, Hazelton, located in West Virginia.

Hernandez’s attorney, Renato C. Stabile, conveyed his appreciation for the former president’s intervention.

“An enormous wrong has been corrected, and we hold optimistic views about the future alliance between the United States and Honduras,” Stabile commented. “We extend our gratitude to President Trump for ensuring justice was achieved. We anticipate President Hernandez’s victorious return to Honduras.”

A separate lawyer for Hernandez, Sabrina Shroff, declined comment.

The post was part of a broader message by Trump backing Nasry “Tito” Asfura for Honduras’ presidency, with Trump saying the US would be supportive of the country if he wins. But if Asfura loses the election this Sunday, Trump posted that “the United States will not be throwing good money after bad, because a wrong Leader can only bring catastrophic results to a country, no matter which country it is.”

Asfura, 67, is making his second run for president for the conservative National Party. He was mayor of Tegucigalpa and has pledged to solve Honduras’ infrastructure needs. But he has previously been accused of embezzling public funds, allegations that he denies.

In addition to Asfura, there are two other likely contenders for Honduras’ presidency: Rixi Moncada, who served as the finance and later defence secretary before leaving to run for president for the incumbent democratic socialist Libre party, and Salvador Nasralla, a former television personality who is making his fourth bid for the presidency, this time as the candidate for the Liberal Party.

Trump has framed Honduras’ election as trial for democracy, suggesting in a separate Truth Social post that if Asfura loses, the country could go the way of Venezuela and fall under the influence of that country’s politician, Nicolás Maduro.

Trump has sought to apply pressure on Maduro, ordering a series of strikes against boats suspected of carrying drugs, building up the US military presence in the Caribbean with warships including the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford.

The US president has not ruled out taking military action or covert action by the CIA against Venezuela, though he has also floated that he was open to speaking with Maduro.

Outgoing Honduran President Xiomara Castro has leaned into a leftist stance, but she has kept a pragmatic and even cooperative attitude in dealing with the US administration and she has received visits from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and US Army Gen. Laura Richardson, when she was the commander of US Southern Command. The president has even backed off his threats to end Honduras’ extradition treaty and military cooperation with the US.

Under Castro, Honduras has also received its citizens deported from the US and acted as a bridge for deported Venezuelans who were then picked up by Venezuela in Honduras.

Argentine President Javier Milei, a staunch admirer of Trump, also gave his support to Asfura in Honduras on Friday.

“I fully support Tito Asfura, who is the candidate who best represents the opposition to the leftist tyrants who have destroyed Honduras,” the libertarian president said on his X account.