Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, convicted of drug trafficking, has been released from a West Virginia prison following a pardon granted by former President Donald Trump. Hernández’s wife, Ana García, announced his release via social media on Monday, stating that he is “once again a free man.” The U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirmed the release of an inmate matching Hernández’s name and age.
The pardon comes after Hernández was convicted in March 2022 for his role in smuggling over 400 tons of cocaine into the United States. He had served two terms as the leader of Honduras, a nation with a population of approximately 10 million. Hernández was serving his sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary in Hazelton, West Virginia, and had been appealing the conviction.
In a post on the social platform X, García expressed gratitude towards Trump, saying, “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.” Her post included a screenshot of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons listing confirming his release.
Hernández’s pardon has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana questioned the rationale behind pardoning Hernández while simultaneously pursuing drug traffickers like Nicolás Maduro. He stated, “Lock up every drug runner! Don’t understand why he is being pardoned.”
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia described the pardon as “shocking.” Kaine, who serves as the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, highlighted the severity of Hernández’s crimes, referencing evidence presented during the trial that indicated Hernández’s intent to flood the U.S. with cocaine.
Trump defended his decision during a flight aboard Air Force One, suggesting that Hernández was unfairly targeted due to his position as president. He mentioned that many Hondurans view the conviction as a “setup” orchestrated by the Biden administration. When pressed for evidence supporting this claim, he remarked, “You take any country you want, 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.”
As Hernández returns home, his family gathered on the steps of their residence in Tegucigalpa, kneeling in prayer to express their relief after nearly four years of separation. This home was the same location from which Honduran authorities extradited him in 2022, shortly after he left office.
The timing of the pardon has raised eyebrows in the context of ongoing political developments in Honduras, where Hernández’s party is engaged in a contentious presidential election. As the election results remain unclear, Trump’s involvement in Honduran politics has sparked further debate.
The implications of this pardon extend beyond Hernández’s immediate release. It has ignited discussions about drug trafficking, international justice, and the influence of U.S. foreign policy on Central American governance. The ongoing tensions and criticisms surrounding this case are likely to resonate within both the U.S. and Honduras for the foreseeable future.
