Overview
- Hernández received a full pardon on December 1 and was released from U.S. custody the same day, after Trump said he was treated unfairly.
- He had been sentenced in June 2024 to 45 years for conspiring to import cocaine and related firearms offenses, with DOJ tying his network to more than 400 tons of U.S.-bound cocaine.
- Trial evidence and DOJ statements depicted a brutally violent operation, including cooperating witnesses who admitted involvement in dozens of killings.
- Trump announced the pardon alongside an endorsement of National Party candidate Nasry “Tito” Asfura, and Honduran media reported Asfura held a narrow lead with 84.9% of precincts counted as of December 4.
- Members of Congress criticized the decision and signaled oversight, while Honduras’s attorney general indicated Hernández could face charges there and analysts warned of damage to extradition deterrence and broader U.S. counternarcotics credibility.