From the Associated Press: Former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández, sentenced last year to 45 years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation that moved hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States, was released from prison following a pardon from President Donald Trump, officials confirmed Tuesday.
Hernández was released Monday from U.S. Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons told The Associated Press. The bureau’s online inmate records also reflected his release.
The release of Hernández — a former U.S. ally whose conviction prosecutors said exposed the depth of cartel influence in Honduras — comes just days after the country’s presidential election. Trump defended the decision aboard Air Force One on Sunday, saying Hondurans believed Hernández had been “set up,” even as prosecutors argued he protected drug traffickers who moved hundreds of tons of cocaine through the country.
Trump argued that just because Hernández was the president, that didn’t mean he was a drug dealer. He said he looked at the facts and agreed that the entire case against Hernández was a Biden administration “set-up.”
President Trump explains why he pardoned former Honduran president Juan Hernández, a convicted drug trafficker who once said he would “stuff the drugs up the gringos’ noses.”
“Many of the people of Honduras said it was a Biden setup.. I looked at the facts and agreed with them.” pic.twitter.com/Wp4Ql78gwa
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) December 1, 2025
Trump ally Roger Stone reacted, writing on X, “Thank you, President Trump, for doing justice and granting the presidential pardon in the case of former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was framed by Biden for an alleged drug trafficking that never existed. For a long time, I have advocated for a pardon in this case.”
Gracias, presidente Trump, por hacer justicia y conceder el indulto presidencial en el caso del expresidente hondureño Juan Orlando Hernández, quien fue incriminado por Biden por un supuesto tráfico de drogas que nunca existió.
Desde hace mucho tiempo he abogado por un indulto… pic.twitter.com/DdfEou56o7
— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) November 28, 2025
BREAKING: Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández has been released from a U.S. federal prison, Bureau of Prisons tells AP. https://t.co/bKMGKnXjiK
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 2, 2025
READ MORE from the Associated Press.
Trump announced on Friday that he intended to grant a full pardon to Hernandez, and weighed in on the new presidential election in Honduras. He wrote:
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. 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, no matter which country it is. Tito will be a Great President, and the United States will work closely with him in order to ensure the success, with all of its potential, of Honduras!
Additionally, I will be granting a Full and Complete Pardon to Former President Juan Orlando Hernandez who has been, according to many people that I greatly respect, treated very harshly and unfairly.
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. VOTE FOR TITO ASFURA FOR PRESIDENT, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ ON YOUR UPCOMING PARDON. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE HONDURAS GREAT AGAIN!
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
In another post, Trump stressed the importance of Honduras electing Tito Asfura, the presidential candidate of the National Party:
Democracy is on trial in the coming Elections in the beautiful country of Honduras on November 30th. Will Maduro and his Narcoterrorists take over another country like they have taken over Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela? The man who is standing up for Democracy, and fighting against Maduro, is Tito Asfura, the Presidential Candidate of the National Party. Tito was the highly successful Mayor of Tegucigalpa where he brought running water to millions, and paved hundreds of kilometers of roads.
His chief opponent is Rixi Moncada, who says Fidel Castro is her idol. Normally, the smart people of Honduras, would reject her, and elect Tito Asfura, but the Communists are trying to trick the people by running a third Candidate, Salvador Nasralla. Nasralla is no friend of Freedom. A borderline Communist, he helped Xiomara Castro by running as her Vice President. He won, and helped Castro win. Then he resigned, and is now pretending to be an anti-Communist only for the purposes of splitting Asfura’s vote.
The people of Honduras must not be tricked again. The only real friend of Freedom in Honduras is Tito Asfura. Tito and I can work together to fight the Narcocommunists, and bring needed aid to the people of Honduras. I cannot work with Moncada and the Communists, and Nasralla is not a reliable partner for Freedom, and cannot be trusted. I hope the people of Honduras vote for Freedom and Democracy, and elect Tito Asfura, President!
On Monday, Trump blasted out a warning about the election in Honduras:
Looks like Honduras is trying to change the results of their Presidential Election. If they do, there will be hell to pay! The people of Honduras voted in overwhelming numbers on November 30th. The National Electoral Commission, the official body charged with counting the Votes, abruptly stopped counting at midnight on November 30th.
Their count showed a close race between Tito Asfura and Salvador Nasralla with Asfura holding a narrow lead of 500 votes. Their tally was stopped when only 47 percent of the Vote was counted. It is imperative that the Commission finish counting the Votes. Hundreds of thousands of Hondurans must have their Votes counted. Democracy must prevail!
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