Sheriff of Nottingham

Former Leader of Honduras Pardoned by Trump

Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras, was convicted in 2024 by a U.S. court for conspiring to import over 400 tons of cocaine into the United States and for possessing machine guns. He received a 45-year prison sentence and an $8 million fine. Hernández was found guilty of collaborating with drug trafficking organizations, accepting millions of dollars in bribes—including a $1 million bribe from drug lord El Chapo—and using his presidential powers to protect traffickers, influence elections through fraud, and maintain Honduras as a narco state during his presidency from 2014 to 2022.

Evidence included testimony and court documents showing Hernández orchestrated drug shipments, directed co-conspirators to bribe officials, and protected accused co-conspirators through violent means like murder in prison.

U.S. prosecutors detailed how Hernández manipulated executive powers to shield major traffickers from arrest while facilitating massive cocaine shipments to the U.S., enriching himself and funding his political campaigns with illicit funds. He was also accused of bribing and intimidating officials and using drug money to secure his re-election amid allegations of voter fraud and violence.

In late November 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would issue a full and complete pardon to Hernández, calling his conviction harsh and unfair. Trump expressed support for Hernández’s political allies in Honduras and hinted that U.S. aid could be impacted depending on Honduran elections. Hernández’s attorneys expressed gratitude for the pardon, viewing it as rectifying a political prosecution.

This pardon came despite strong evidence linking Hernández directly to large-scale drug trafficking, corrupt use of presidential powers, and violent measures sustaining his criminal operations. The case demonstrated his central role in maintaining one of Central America’s most notorious drug trafficking hubs.

Resources

• BBC: Trump says he will pardon ex-Honduras president convicted of drug trafficking
• The New York Times: The Ex-President Whom Trump Plans to Pardon Flooded America With Cocaine
• U.S. Department of Justice: Juan Orlando Hernández sentenced for conspiring to import cocaine
• CNN: Trump says he will pardon former Honduran president in drug-trafficking case