President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was serving a 45-year sentence in a U.S. federal prison for drug trafficking. Hernández was released from U.S. federal prison on December 2, 2025.
Key Details
Conviction: Hernández was convicted in March 2024 of three drug-trafficking and weapons charges. Prosecutors stated he used his position as president from 2014 to 2022 to facilitate the importation of at least 400 tons of cocaine into the United States, effectively running Honduras as a “narco-state”.
Sentencing: In June 2024, he was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison and an $8 million fine.
Trump’s Rationale: Trump announced the pardon via social media, stating he believed Hernández was “treated very harshly and unfairly” and that the case was a “Biden setup” or a “political case” orchestrated by the previous administration. Trump’s ally Roger Stone reportedly lobbied for the pardon.
Controversy: The decision has drawn bipartisan criticism, as it appears to contradict the Trump administration’s stated commitment to a fierce crackdown on drug trafficking in the Caribbean. Critics, including law enforcement officials and politicians, argued the pardon undermines U.S. credibility in international anti-drug efforts.
Honduran Reaction: Hernández’s wife, Ana García, thanked Trump for correcting an “injustice,” while the current Honduran Attorney General indicated he may face corruption charges in Honduras.
The pardon occurred just days before Honduras’s presidential election, in which Trump endorsed a candidate from Hernández’s conservative National Party, Nasry “Tito” Asfura.