US Pardons Honduran Ex-President Convicted of Trafficking Cocaine into the Country, Amid Controversy Over Trump's Decision.
Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez has been released from a US federal prison after receiving a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, just hours before a tense vote count in Honduras' ongoing election. Hernandez was convicted last year for conspiring to import cocaine into the US and serving almost four years of his sentence.
Trump defended the move on social media, stating that "many people" he respects believed Hernandez had been treated "very harshly and unfairly." However, critics from both parties expressed shock and outrage over the pardon. Republican Sen Bill Cassidy questioned why Trump would pardon Hernandez while simultaneously targeting another country's leader for alleged drug trafficking.
Hernandez, who served two terms as Honduras' leader with a population of 10 million, was extradited to the US after leaving office in 2022. He faced serious charges and was found guilty by a federal court of wanting to "shove drugs up the nose of gringos" and flood the country with cocaine - over 400 tons.
The pardon has sparked heated debate, with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi calling it "disgraceful" and suggesting it sends the wrong message to parents who have lost children to narcotics. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the move was a result of "Biden overprosecution," however Trump maintained that he had looked at the facts and agreed with those who said Hernandez's case was a setup.
The pardon has been met with criticism from lawmakers, who are questioning the motives behind the decision. As Honduras' election nears, this controversy raises questions about the relationship between the US and its Central American neighbors, particularly when it comes to issues of law enforcement and justice.
Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez has been released from a US federal prison after receiving a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, just hours before a tense vote count in Honduras' ongoing election. Hernandez was convicted last year for conspiring to import cocaine into the US and serving almost four years of his sentence.
Trump defended the move on social media, stating that "many people" he respects believed Hernandez had been treated "very harshly and unfairly." However, critics from both parties expressed shock and outrage over the pardon. Republican Sen Bill Cassidy questioned why Trump would pardon Hernandez while simultaneously targeting another country's leader for alleged drug trafficking.
Hernandez, who served two terms as Honduras' leader with a population of 10 million, was extradited to the US after leaving office in 2022. He faced serious charges and was found guilty by a federal court of wanting to "shove drugs up the nose of gringos" and flood the country with cocaine - over 400 tons.
The pardon has sparked heated debate, with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi calling it "disgraceful" and suggesting it sends the wrong message to parents who have lost children to narcotics. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the move was a result of "Biden overprosecution," however Trump maintained that he had looked at the facts and agreed with those who said Hernandez's case was a setup.
The pardon has been met with criticism from lawmakers, who are questioning the motives behind the decision. As Honduras' election nears, this controversy raises questions about the relationship between the US and its Central American neighbors, particularly when it comes to issues of law enforcement and justice.
Trump's pardon for Hernandez is so confusing! I get that he thinks Hernandez was treated unfairly, but 400 TONS of cocaine? Like how can you even justify that? 
I'm also super worried about the message this sends to parents who have lost kids to addiction - it's like, not exactly sending a strong 'no' to crime and corruption. 
And what's up with Biden being blamed for overprosecution? That just seems like an excuse to me 
. I wish politicians would focus on real issues instead of playing politics with someone else's life 
. Like, what's next? Pardoning someone for stealing all our Netflix passwords? 
I get it, maybe Hernandez got a bad deal, but 400 tons of coke? That's some serious business 
.
. I don't know what's more annoying, the politics or the cocaine 
.
. Like, can we just focus on making sure those kids aren't getting hurt by all this drama? 
The guy was convicted of trying to flood the US with 400 tons of coke! That's some serious stuff 
. And now he's free because Trump says "many people" he respects thought Hernandez got a raw deal... yeah no 
, especially when we're talking about parents who've lost kids to narcotics... it's just really messed up 
.
what's up with trump trying to pardon a convicted coke kingpin just days before a major election in a country he's been meddling in for years? i mean, i get that he thinks he's being all tough on the libs, but this is just gonna make him look like a complete joke. and what's with the whole "biden overprosecution" thing - sounds like trump is just making up excuses to save face. honestly, it feels like he's more worried about his own legacy than doing what's right. this pardon is a total slap in the face to the families of those who lost loved ones to narcotics, and it's only gonna fuel the flames of distrust between the US and honduras. 
. I feel bad for the parents of those kids who are already hurting enough without this kind of news weighing them down 
. And what really gets me is that this pardon comes at a time when Honduras is in the middle of an election - it's like, can't we focus on making our countries better instead of doing politics with people's lives? 
Not sure I trust this pardon as much as I trust Trump's Twitter feed 
. The whole thing is just so shady and concerning to me 
I mean, I get that people can make mistakes, but come on, 400 tons of coke?! That's like, a whole lotta drama 
. Trump says Hernandez was treated unfairly, but I'm not buying it 
. The guy did some serious time and now he gets a free pass? Not cool, dude 
, Donald Trump thinks he's a real-life superhero with a magic wand, pardoning anyone who's wronged by just saying "many people" agree with him 
. And now Honduras is stuck in this electoral limbo because Trump wanted to give Juan Orlando Hernandez a second chance 
... I guess you could say he's "drug"-ging up the whole situation 
!
. It's like he's trying to send a message that the US is all about pardoning its friends, no matter how shady they are. And what's with this "many people" he respects business 
. I don't think anyone can trust his judgment anymore. He's always been a bit of a wild card, but this is just ridiculous 
just 'cause some ppl thought he got treated unfairly doesn't mean he didn't deserve time for his crimes. & btw, what's next? pardonin' mexico's president for smugglin guns into us? 
I mean, what if Trump was trying to sway some votes or something? It's all a bit too much for me.
.