Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former president of Honduras, returned to his home country after serving a 45-year sentence in the United States for drug trafficking. His return was made possible by a pardon from former President Donald Trump.
According to Al Jazeera and the Associated Press, Hernandez arrived at Palmerola International Airport near Tegucigalpa on July 26, where he was welcomed by supporters from his National Party and family. This marks his return after more than four years since being extradited to the U.S.
Hernandez served as president from 2014 until early 2022, when he was arrested at his home in Tegucigalpa shortly after leaving office. He was extradited to the U.S. in April 2022, where prosecutors accused him of collaborating with drug trafficking organizations to smuggle 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S. and receiving millions of dollars in bribes. Hernandez denied the charges, asserting that his administration cooperated with the U.S. in drug enforcement efforts. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
However, the situation changed dramatically when Trump pardoned Hernandez in November 2022 and publicly supported Nasry Asfura, a candidate from Hernandez's National Party, in the presidential election. Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social, that if Asfura won, the U.S. would provide full support, but if he lost, there would be no goodwill funding. Trump also claimed that Hernandez had been treated harshly and unfairly. Despite opposition from rival candidates, Asfura won the election.
Following the pardon, a local arrest warrant for Hernandez was canceled, allowing his return. This warrant had been issued by the then Attorney General of Honduras shortly after Trump's pardon. Hernandez is still facing corruption charges in Honduras and is scheduled to appear in court on August 3, which he denies.
According to AFP, Hernandez has stated that he returns without ambitions for the election. However, many do not take this claim at face value. Tiziano Breda, a senior researcher for Latin America and the Caribbean at the nonprofit organization ACLED, analyzed that Hernandez's return could impact the political and social stability of Honduras. He noted that as a former president and representative of the ruling party, Hernandez returns with Trump's support and is likely to seek to expand his political influence, leaving open the possibility of a future presidential run.
In an interview with Reuters on July 22, Hernandez expressed his readiness to share his political experience with those in power. He stated, "We have new leadership in our party, and we want to support them and help if we can."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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