Honduras ex-president Hernandez returns home after Trump pardon
So, this past Sunday, Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former president of Honduras, made his way back home after being away for almost eight months. His return came after US President Donald Trump granted him a controversial pardon that erased his 45-year drug trafficking sentence. He landed at Palmerola Airport close to Tegucigalpa on a private flight, where family and supporters greeted him. Hernandez was imprisoned in the US in 2024 for drug trafficking, and he’s set to face a Honduran court on August 3 regarding corruption charges. He was president from 2014 to 2022 and was extradited by Xiomara Castro, his successor, to deal with US charges, which led to his conviction for aiding in the smuggling of tons of cocaine into the US.
Key facts
- Juan Orlando Hernandez returned to Honduras on Sunday.
- He was pardoned by US President Donald Trump after serving nearly eight months of a 45-year sentence.
- Hernandez arrived at Palmerola Airport near Tegucigalpa.
- He was greeted by family and supporters, including Eva Amador.
- Hernandez was jailed in the US in 2024 for drug trafficking.
- He is expected to appear in a Honduran court on August 3 to face corruption charges.
- Hernandez was extradited by his successor, Xiomara Castro.
- A US court found him guilty of smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine into the US.
Entities
Institutions
- Agence France-Presse
Locations
- Honduras
- United States
- Palmerola Airport
- Tegucigalpa