Key facts
- Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump.
- Hernandez will return to Honduras on Sunday to face local charges.
- He plans to seek dismissal of fraud and money laundering charges, arguing they are politically motivated.
- Hernandez was convicted in the U.S. on cocaine trafficking charges and sentenced to 45 years.
- Legal experts in Honduras have differing opinions on the potential dismissal of the local charges.
Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was recently pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump after serving less than two years of a 45-year sentence for cocaine trafficking, announced he will return to Honduras on Sunday to seek the dismissal of separate local charges.
Hernandez faces charges of fraud and money laundering in Honduras, which were not affected by the U.S. presidential pardon. He maintains his innocence, asserting that the case was a political maneuver. He expects judicial proceedings to begin in early August, noting that other individuals investigated under the same 'Pandora II' corruption case have had their charges dismissed.
Extradited to the U.S. in 2022, Hernandez was accused by the Justice Department of using his presidential authority to facilitate the importation of over 400 metric tons of cocaine into the U.S. Prosecutors alleged he transformed Honduras into a 'narco-state' by accepting millions in bribes from cartels, leading to his conviction by a Manhattan jury in 2024.
Hernandez, who served as president from 2014 to 2022, did not rule out a future return to politics, stating he is prepared to support new leadership within his party. His return to Honduras is anticipated at Palmerola Airport.