Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a pardon for Juan Orlando Hernández, the former President of Honduras. Hernández had been convicted in the United States for his involvement in drug-trafficking conspiracies.
Mr. Hernández, who served two terms as Honduras's leader, was sentenced to 45 years in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. A White House official confirmed the pardon.
The pardon has drawn scrutiny, particularly given the Trump administration's anti-drug trafficking campaigns elsewhere. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, commented on the decision, describing it as "shocking" during an appearance on CBS's 'Face the Nation.' Kaine stated that Hernández led "one of the largest criminal enterprises ever subject to a conviction in U.S. courts."
During Hernández's time in office, which coincided with Trump's first presidential term, he fostered support from the Trump administration, including moving the Honduran embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Mr. Trump stated last week that individuals he respects had informed him that Hernández was "treated very harshly and unfairly." Roger Stone, a political adviser to Mr. Trump, lobbied for Hernández's release. Stone reported delivering a four-page letter from Hernández, in which Hernández claimed he was a victim of wrongful conviction and "lawfare by the Biden-Harris administration." Trump had publicly hinted at the pardon via a social media post, stating: "CONGRATULATIONS TO JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ ON YOUR UPCOMING PARDON... MAKE HONDURAS GREAT AGAIN!"
According to court documents, Hernández facilitated the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States, receiving millions of dollars from drug-trafficking organizations in return. The presiding judge, P. Kevin Castel, characterized Hernández as a "politician hungry for power." Former Attorney General Merrick Garland previously stated that Hernández "abused his presidency to operate the country as a narco-state where violent traffickers operated with near-total impunity."
Hernández has consistently maintained his innocence of the charges. He was appealing his conviction while serving his sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia. This pardon follows other pardons granted by Mr. Trump since returning to office, which have also attracted scrutiny. These have included political and business allies, a cryptocurrency executive, and individuals associated with efforts to challenge the 2020 election results.