Honduran ex-president controversially pardoned by Trump speaks to BBC
Summary
Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was serving a 45-year prison sentence in the US for drug trafficking but was pardoned and released by President Donald Trump in late 2024. Hernández denies the charges and claims his case was politically motivated, contrasting his situation with that of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who was removed from power.Key Facts
- Juan Orlando Hernández was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to 45 years in a US prison.
- President Donald Trump gave Hernández a full pardon in November 2024, leading to his release from a maximum security prison in West Virginia.
- The pardon came just before the Honduran general election, where Hernández’s preferred candidate, Nasry Asfura, won after a close race.
- Hernández denies the drug trafficking charges and says his case was part of a "witch-hunt" by left-wing politicians in Honduras and Venezuela.
- He distinguishes his case from Nicolás Maduro’s, saying his political situation is different and that others in Venezuela’s left-wing party were involved with drug traffickers.
- The Trump administration described the pardon as correcting perceived wrongs by the Biden administration.
- Human rights groups and many in Honduras criticized the pardon, seeing Hernández as a controversial and notorious figure.
- After his release, Hernández started a social media campaign to clear his name.
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