Honduras Seeks Arrest of Former President Despite Trump Pardon

Honduras’ attorney general has called for the arrest of former president Juan Orlando Hernández, just days after his release from a U.S. federal prison following a pardon by President Donald Trump.

Johel Antonio Zelaya Alvarez announced Monday that he had ordered Honduran authorities and Interpol to execute a 2023 arrest warrant against Hernández on charges of fraud and money laundering. The warrant, issued by a Honduras Supreme Court magistrate, specifically states it must be enforced “in the case that the accused is freed by United States authorities.”

“We have been lacerated by the tentacles of corruption and by the criminal networks that have deeply marked the life of our country,” Zelaya wrote on social media platform X, highlighting the ongoing struggle against corruption in the Central American nation.

The charges stem from the “Pandora case,” a major corruption investigation in which dozens of Honduran officials and politicians were implicated. Prosecutors allege government funds were diverted through a network of non-governmental organizations to political parties, including Hernández’s 2013 presidential campaign.

Hernández was released from U.S. custody last week after serving just a fraction of his 45-year sentence. In March 2024, he had been convicted in New York on charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and two related weapons offenses. Prosecutors alleged he helped traffic more than 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S. during his presidency.

The dramatic shift in Hernández’s fortunes represents a stunning reversal. Once considered a key U.S. ally in combating drug trafficking in Central America during his 2014-2022 presidency, Hernández became the subject of a U.S. extradition request shortly after leaving office. His successor, President Xiomara Castro of the social democrat LIBRE party, authorized his detention and extradition to the United States in 2022.

Renato Stabile, an attorney representing Hernández, dismissed the renewed arrest efforts as politically motivated. “This is obviously a strictly political move on behalf of the defeated Libre party to try to intimidate President Hernandez as they are being kicked out of power in Honduras,” Stabile told the Associated Press. “It is shameful and a desperate piece of political theatre and these charges are completely baseless.”

The case highlights the complex relationship between the United States and Honduras in combating drug trafficking. During his trial, Hernández portrayed himself as a hero of anti-drug trafficking efforts who collaborated with American authorities across three U.S. administrations. However, the judge in his case stated that evidence proved otherwise, noting that Hernández employed “considerable acting skills” to maintain this facade while actually using Honduras’ police and military to protect drug trafficking operations.

President Trump, in announcing the pardon, claimed Hernández was “treated very harshly and unfairly” and suggested his prosecution was politically motivated. The pardon has drawn criticism from those who view it as undermining U.S.-led anti-corruption and anti-narcotics efforts in Central America.

Following his release, Hernández expressed gratitude toward Trump on social media. “My profound gratitude goes to President @realDonaldTrump for having the courage to defend justice at a moment when a weaponized system refused to acknowledge the truth,” he wrote. “You reviewed the facts, recognized the injustice, and acted with conviction. You changed my life, sir, and I will never forget it.”

The situation creates a complex diplomatic scenario, with Honduras seeking to prosecute its former president on domestic charges despite his pardon in the United States. It also raises questions about sovereignty and international cooperation in fighting corruption and drug trafficking in a region that has long struggled with these issues.

As of now, Hernández’s whereabouts and next steps remain unclear, though the reactivated arrest warrant suggests he may face legal challenges should he return to Honduras.