President Donald Trump said he intends to issue a "full and complete pardon" to former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, a convicted drug trafficker serving a 45-year sentence in the United States, while tying future U.S. financial support for Honduras to the outcome of the country's upcoming presidential election. The announcement, posted on Truth Social days before Hondurans vote, also included Trump's endorsement of conservative candidate Nasry "Tito" Asfura.
Trump said Hernández "has been, according to many people that I greatly respect, treated very harshly and unfairly," adding, "This cannot be allowed to happen, especially now, after Tito Asfura wins the election, when Honduras will be on its way to great political and financial success." He also told voters, "Vote for Tito Asfura for president, and congratulations to Juan Orlando Hernandez on your upcoming pardon. Make Honduras great again."
The former Honduran leader was convicted in Manhattan federal court in March 2024 of orchestrating a years-long conspiracy that moved more than 400 tons of cocaine toward the United States. Prosecutors said he oversaw a vast corruption network that transformed segments of the Honduran police and military into security escorts for drug convoys. One prosecutor said his government "paved a cocaine superhighway to the United States." Hernández denied the allegations, arguing the case relied on "professional liars" seeking leniency.
A jury found him guilty on charges of cocaine-importation conspiracy, weapons offenses involving the use of machine guns, and other narcotics-related crimes. He was sentenced on June 26, 2024, to 45 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $8 million. The sentencing judge described his administration as a "narco-state."
Trump's pledge immediately set off alarm among anti-corruption groups and U.S. prosecutors who view the Hernández conviction as a rare breakthrough in holding senior political figures accountable for facilitating cartel operations. Critics warned a pardon would reinforce perceptions that well-connected officials can escape consequences through political channels, potentially undermining regional efforts to combat entrenched corruption.
Beyond the pardon promise, Trump said U.S. support for Honduras would depend on Asfura's victory. "If Tito Asfura wins for President of Honduras, because the United States has so much confidence in him, his policies, and what he will do for the great people of Honduras, we will be very supportive," he wrote. "If he doesn't win, the United States will not be throwing good money after bad, because a wrong leader can only bring catastrophic results to a country."
The move injects Washington directly into a contentious Honduran campaign, elevating questions about the extent to which U.S. policy could shift based on foreign electoral outcomes. Analysts noted Asfura has emphasized international economic support as part of his platform and that Trump's message may resonate among voters anxious about security and economic instability.
If Trump issues the pardon, Hernández's U.S. conviction would be nullified, though legal experts say the former president could still face charges in Honduras or elsewhere. A U.S. pardon would also not erase years of allegations regarding his role in shielding traffickers and receiving bribes in exchange for political influence.
