President Donald Trump has announced a pardon for former Honduran President and staunch Israel ally Juan Orlando Hernández, a convicted narco-trafficker serving a 45-year sentence in the United States.
On November 28, Trump said he would pardon Hernández, who was convicted in a New York court in 2024 for helping move roughly 400 tons of cocaine into the United States in coordination with the Sinaloa cartel, claiming the ex-leader had been “treated very harshly and unfairly.”
As El Presidenté of Honduras, Don Juan Orlando Hernández funneled more than half a million dollars in contracts to Republican lobbying shop BGR Group after his brother, Tony Hernández, received a life sentence for cocaine trafficking; BGR later donated tens of thousands of dollars to Marco Rubio, who now serves as Trump’s Secretary of State.
U.S. prosecutors previously described Hernández as a central figure in turning Honduras into a premier narco-state, alleging he “wielded incredible influence and partnered with some of the most notorious narcotics traffickers in Honduras, allowing them to flourish under their control.”
A 2023 Grayzone investigation reported that U.S. officials long knew about Hernández’s alleged drug ties but backed his government anyway, even as indictments described his deep involvement with traffickers.
Trump had publicly praised Hernández years earlier at the Israeli American Council National Summit, telling the audience the Honduran leader was “working with the United States very closely” to stop drugs at the southern border.
According to The Israel Times, Hernández noted that he first visited Israel 30 years ago to take part in a leadership development program run by Mashav, or the Agency for International Development Cooperation, which he called “a life-changing experience.”
Under Hernandez, Honduras became the 4th country to open an Embassy in Jerusalem, a city described by Hernández, a Zionist, as “the eternal capital of Israel.”
Following the pardon announcement, Hernández’s Pastor told Honduran media that the outcome was because “Donald Trump was and is a friend of Juan Orlando,” underscoring the personal relationship behind the decision.
Honduran authorities responded that investigations into Hernández’s alleged crimes at home remain open and indicated he would likely be taken into custody on his return despite being cleared of U.S. charges.
