US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he plans to grant a full pardon to Juan Orlando Hernández, the former Honduran president currently serving a 45-year prison sentence in the US for drug trafficking and weapons charges.
Hernández was convicted in US courts of accepting millions of dollars in bribes to protect cocaine shipments belonging to traffickers. His conviction was widely seen as unfair, with many people he respected, including assistant US attorney Jacob Gutwillig, stating that Hernández had "paved a cocaine superhighway" to the United States.
The pardon comes despite Trump's repeated claims of being tough on combating drug problems, including designating multiple drug cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations" and justifying deadly airstrikes on vessels across the Caribbean and Pacific. These strikes have been widely condemned by humanitarian organizations, who argue that they amount to extrajudicial executions.
Trump's announcement has sparked criticism from many quarters, with some questioning why he would grant a pardon to someone convicted of such serious crimes. The decision also comes as Trump is backing Tito Asfura for Honduras' presidency in upcoming elections, and stating that the US will be supportive of him if he wins.
In contrast, Honduran president Xiomara Castro has forged close ties with Cuba and Venezuela, two countries seen by the Trump administration as dictatorships. Castro's pragmatic approach has allowed her to maintain a close relationship with the US, even backing off threats to end Honduras' extradition treaty and military cooperation with Washington.
Hondurans will go to the polls on Sunday to vote in an election that remains highly contested, with several candidates vying for the presidency. The Organization of American States and Washington have raised concerns about the electoral process, which they are monitoring closely.
Hernández was convicted in US courts of accepting millions of dollars in bribes to protect cocaine shipments belonging to traffickers. His conviction was widely seen as unfair, with many people he respected, including assistant US attorney Jacob Gutwillig, stating that Hernández had "paved a cocaine superhighway" to the United States.
The pardon comes despite Trump's repeated claims of being tough on combating drug problems, including designating multiple drug cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations" and justifying deadly airstrikes on vessels across the Caribbean and Pacific. These strikes have been widely condemned by humanitarian organizations, who argue that they amount to extrajudicial executions.
Trump's announcement has sparked criticism from many quarters, with some questioning why he would grant a pardon to someone convicted of such serious crimes. The decision also comes as Trump is backing Tito Asfura for Honduras' presidency in upcoming elections, and stating that the US will be supportive of him if he wins.
In contrast, Honduran president Xiomara Castro has forged close ties with Cuba and Venezuela, two countries seen by the Trump administration as dictatorships. Castro's pragmatic approach has allowed her to maintain a close relationship with the US, even backing off threats to end Honduras' extradition treaty and military cooperation with Washington.
Hondurans will go to the polls on Sunday to vote in an election that remains highly contested, with several candidates vying for the presidency. The Organization of American States and Washington have raised concerns about the electoral process, which they are monitoring closely.
... meanwhile, isn't it interesting that Trump is backing a guy who hasn't exactly covered himself in glory? And what's up with these "foreign terrorist organizations" he keeps designating? Sounds like someone trying to deflect from the real issues. Cuba and Venezuela might not be perfect, but at least they're trying to address their problems rather than just talking the talk... 
Guess that's just more proof of Trump's "tough on crime" cred 
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and it's even more whack cuz trump is backing tito asfura in the honduran elections and now they're all buds with cuba n venezuela?? Castro's whole 'pragmatic approach' thing doesn't change the fact that she's basically making deals w/ authoritarian countries lol, anyway, this pardon announcement is just another example of trump's utter lack of integrity 
he's basically giving a free pass to a guy who paved a cocaine superhighway to the US... meanwhile, we get to enjoy the "foreign terrorist organization" label being slapped on actual bad guys 
and now trump's backing a candidate in honduras because why not? gotta love how trump's presidential legacy is all about coddling dictators 
This pardon is a total farce. I mean, come on, 45 years for Honduras' president? That's like us pardoning our own heads of state! 
I'm really shocked by this pardon decision from Trump 
Considering he's involved in serious crimes like drug trafficking and accepting bribes... it feels like Trump wants to make amends with Honduras or something 
. And now he's supporting Tito Asfura for presidency, who knows what that means for Hondurans 
. I just don't get why Trump would do this when he claims to be tough on crime 
It's so weird that he's supporting Tito Asfura, but not exactly thrilled about Xiomara Castro's diplomatic efforts... guess you could say they're 'paving their own way' now 
. And oh boy, the election is going to be a wild ride! 