Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández Pardoned by Trump After Drug Trafficking Conviction
Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was pardoned by President Trump and released from US prison after serving a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking and bribery.
Former Honduran president released from prison after Trump pardon
Washington Examiner
Former Honduras President Hernández freed after Trump pardon
Associated Press
Overview
- Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was convicted and sentenced to 45 years in a New York federal courtroom for drug trafficking and accepting cartel bribes.
- The US Justice Department accused Hernández of leveraging his presidential authority to facilitate the trafficking of over 400 tons of cocaine into the United States.
- President Donald Trump issued a controversial pardon for Hernández, leading to his release from a US prison despite his conviction for drug conspiracy.
- Trump justified the pardon by claiming Hernández was a victim of political persecution and treated harshly, while Hernández consistently maintained his innocence.
- Hernández's release from prison coincides with a closely contested presidential election in Honduras, where Trump had previously backed a candidate from Hernández's party.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by highlighting the controversial nature of Trump's pardon for Juan Orlando Hernández. They emphasize the perceived hypocrisy, juxtaposing the pardon with Trump's anti-drug trafficking rhetoric and connecting Hernández's past support for Trump to the administration's backing. The coverage underscores a pattern of questionable pardons, suggesting a transactional approach to justice.
"The decision to pardon Hernández simultaneously stunned some experts."
BBC News"The pardon of such a high-profile convicted drug trafficker, however, has led to accusations of deceit and hypocrisy by the Trump administration as it comes while the president and his team continue to escalate his military campaign against drug trafficking out of Venezuela."
NPR"Trump's decision to pardon Hernandez has raised questions about the consistency of his anti-drug campaign."
USA TODAY"Hernandez was released from a West Virginia prison on Monday and was "once again a free man," his wife announced on social media."
CBS News"Hernández maintained throughout that he was innocent and the victim of revenge by drug traffickers he had helped extradite to the United States."
Associated Press"Hernández was found guilty in March 2024 of conspiring to import cocaine to the US, and of possessing machine guns."
BBC NewsArticles (15)
Center (6)
FAQ
Juan Orlando Hernández was convicted for drug trafficking and weapons conspiracy, specifically for accepting millions of dollars in bribes from major drug cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, and using his presidential authority to facilitate the trafficking of over 400 tons of cocaine into the United States.
President Trump justified the pardon by claiming Hernández was a victim of political persecution and was treated harshly, despite his conviction for drug conspiracy.
Hernández's release coincided with a closely contested presidential election in Honduras, where Trump had previously supported a candidate from Hernández's political party.
Hernández's brother, Antonio 'Tony' Hernández, was a key figure in the conspiracy, collecting bribes from drug traffickers and using armed men to enforce cartel interests; he was sentenced to life in prison in 2021.
Other high-level officials implicated included Hernández's presidential predecessor, Porfirio Lobo Sosa, and several other top Honduran officials who allegedly conspired to use drug trafficking to maintain political power.
History
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