Trump Claims Ex-Honduran President Hernández’s Drug Trafficking Conviction Was a Biden “Setup”
Former President Donald Trump announced Friday his intention to grant a full pardon to Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras, who was sentenced last year to 45 years in prison and an $8 million fine for drug trafficking crimes. Trump characterized Hernández’s conviction as a “setup” orchestrated by the Biden management, stating, “Whatever country it is, if someone sells drugs in that country, that doesn’t mean you should arrest the president and imprison him for life.” He repeatedly asserted, “It was a setup by the Biden administration.”
The announcement arrives as Trump’s administration has recently emphasized a campaign against drug trafficking in the Caribbean, leading to the designation of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his allies as members of a foreign terrorist institution in an effort to force Maduro from power.Hernández’s prosecution closely mirrored the accusations leveled against maduro by the U.S. government.
Prosecutors alleged Hernández conspired with drug cartels during his presidency, facilitating the transport of over 400 tons of cocaine through Honduras to the United States. They claim he received millions of dollars in bribes in exchange, which he used to advance his political career in Honduras. Trump’s potential pardon raises questions about U.S. policy toward drug trafficking and its implications for international relations in Latin America.
