A former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking has been released from prison after receiving a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. Juan Orlando Hernández, who was sentenced for his role in smuggling over 400 tons of cocaine into the United States, left the U.S. Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia on March 4, 2024. His wife, Ana García, announced his release via social media, expressing gratitude towards Trump for the pardon.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, a man matching Hernández’s name and age was released on Monday. García shared a post on the platform X, stating, “After almost four years of pain, of waiting and difficult challenges, my husband Juan Orlando Hernández RETURNED to being a free man, thanks to the presidential pardon granted by President Donald Trump.” She included a screenshot of the prison’s website confirming his release.
Hernández’s pardon has drawn significant criticism from U.S. lawmakers across the political spectrum. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana publicly questioned the rationale behind the pardon, especially in light of ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking. He stated, “Why would we pardon Hernández and then go after Maduro for running drugs into the United States? Lock up every drug runner! Don’t understand why he is being pardoned.”
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia also expressed his dismay, describing the pardon as “shocking.” He highlighted Hernández’s conviction in a U.S. court, where evidence included statements suggesting his intent to flood the United States with cocaine. Kaine remarked, “He was the leader of one of the largest criminal enterprises that has ever been subject to a conviction in U.S. courts.”
Hernández served two terms as president of Honduras, a country of approximately 10 million people. In March 2023, he was convicted of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and had been appealing the decision throughout his incarceration. His arrest in March 2022 followed his extradition from Honduras, where he was apprehended shortly after leaving office.
Trump defended his decision to pardon Hernández during a recent conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One. He suggested that the charges against Hernández were politically motivated, claiming, “Many of the people of Honduras said it was a Biden setup.” He argued that being president does not automatically equate to criminal activity, stating, “If somebody sells drugs in that country, that doesn’t mean you arrest the president and put him in jail for the rest of his life.”
In light of the controversy surrounding the pardon, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized the prosecution of Hernández as a “clear Biden overprosecution.” She claimed that new evidence revealed during the trial was “egregious,” indicating potential misconduct.
As Hernández returns to his family in Tegucigalpa, his release marks a significant moment in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and political corruption in Central America. The implications of this pardon continue to reverberate through both U.S. and Honduran political landscapes, with significant repercussions expected in future diplomatic relations.
