President Donald Trump announced on November 29, 2025, that he plans to grant a "full and complete pardon" to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted of drug trafficking in 2024 and sentenced to 45 years in prison in the United States. The announcement has ignited fierce backlash across Honduras, with political leaders, civil society, and international observers condemning the move as a betrayal of anti-drug efforts and an interference in Honduras' sovereignty.
The Controversial Announcement
Trump made the stunning declaration just hours before Honduras' presidential elections scheduled for November 30, 2025. However, the pardon comes with a political condition: Trump tied the forgiveness to the electoral victory of conservative candidate Nasry Asfura, the National Party's candidate. In a message posted on Truth Social, Trump stated that if Asfura doesn't win, "the United States will not invest money" in Honduras, warning that a different outcome would bring "disastrous results" to the country.
Hernández has served only one year of his 45-year sentence after being convicted in Manhattan in 2024 for conspiracy to introduce approximately 500,000 kilograms of cocaine into the United States, along with weapons trafficking charges. Trump justified the pardon by claiming that Hernández "has been treated very harshly and unfairly," according to people close to the president.
The Charges Against Hernández
During his presidency from 2014 to 2022, Hernández allegedly transformed Honduras into a narco-state, serving as a transit corridor for drug shipments from Colombia and Venezuela. Prosecutors accused him of conspiring with major drug traffickers, including testimony that referenced interactions with notorious trafficker Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. The former president was extradited to the United States shortly after leaving office and faced multiple charges related to organized crime and drug trafficking.
Widespread Rejection in Honduras
The announcement has generated
broad rejection across Honduras' political spectrum, with leaders from multiple parties condemning Trump's move. President Xiomara Castro responded by asserting that "the Honduran people will decide in freedom and peace" on November 30, emphasizing that Honduras' sovereignty cannot be negotiated or bought.
Former President Manuel Zelaya, now an advisor to Castro, was particularly scathing, accusing Trump of protecting "the plunderer of the state" and ordering voters to support "the direct heir of the narco-regime" in reference to Asfura. He declared that the Honduran people would defeat this interference at the ballot box on Sunday.
Political Hypocrisy and International Criticism
Opposition leaders have highlighted the apparent contradiction in Trump's stance.
Congressman Joaquín Castro, a Democrat and member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, condemned the pardon as "responsible for the deaths of countless U.S. citizens," questioning how Trump could justify militarizing the Caribbean to combat drug trafficking while simultaneously freeing a convicted drug lord.Xiomara Castro's government has maintained a pragmatic relationship with the United States despite its leftward orientation, but the president explicitly rejected the pressure surrounding the pardon announcement and the push for Asfura's candidacy. She emphasized that Honduras will not be coerced into political decisions by foreign interference.
Timing and Electoral Interference
The announcement arrives at a critical moment, less than 48 hours before Honduras' general elections, in a context marked by debates over sovereignty, justice, and the fight against drug trafficking. This strategy echoes Trump's approach during Argentina's 2023 midterm elections, when he conditioned investment promises on the victory of specific candidates—a tactic that preceded La Libertad Avanza's surprising electoral triumph.
The pardon announcement has become a flashpoint for discussions about U.S. interference in Latin American affairs and the credibility of American anti-drug policies. While the exact scope and conditions of the pardon remain unclear, observers anticipate that if granted, Hernández's release could occur relatively quickly.
1.
Univision Noticias - Trump planea indultar al expresidente de Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández2.
3%A9rica-latina/20251129-trump-anuncia-un-indulto-al-expresidente-hondure%C3%B1o-juan-orlando-hern%C3%A1ndez-preso-por-narcotr%C3%A1fico" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="text-blue-600 hover:text-blue-800 underline font-medium">France24 - Trump anuncia un indulto al expresidente hondureño Juan Orlando Hernández3.
Noticias Telemundo - Trump dice que perdonará al expresidente de Honduras4.
Xinhua News - Amplio rechazo en Honduras a anuncio de Trump
Sources
1. Trump planea indultar al expresidente de Honduras Juan ...
2. Trump anuncia un indulto al expresidente hondureño Juan ...
3. Trump dice que perdonará al expresidente de Honduras ...
4. Especial: Amplio rechazo en Honduras a anuncio de ...
