Honduras requests the arrest of former President Hernández following his pardon by Trump.

Honduras Attorney General Johel Zelaya has announced that he has requested both domestic authorities and Interpol to enforce a 2023 arrest order against former President Juan Orlando Hernández. This order stems from alleged charges of fraud and money laundering, which were formalized prior to Hernández’s release from a U.S. federal prison. The release came after Hernández received a pardon from former President Donald Trump, who had commuted his 45-year sentence for drug trafficking convictions earlier this month.

Hernández, who previously enjoyed the support of the United States in the war on drugs, found himself at the center of extradition proceedings shortly after departing from office in 2022. His extradition to the U.S. was carried out by current President Xiomara Castro, representing a significant shift in Honduras’ political landscape.

Zelaya has made public a two-year-old arrest order issued by a Supreme Court magistrate, indicating that it must be carried out if Hernández is freed by U.S. authorities. These developments are situated within the broader context of the Pandora case, which alleges that government funds were misappropriated through a network of non-governmental organizations to support political parties, including Hernández’s 2013 campaign.

Hernández’s legal representative, Renato Stabile, characterized the charges against his client as politically motivated, asserting that they are an effort by the ruling Libre party to intimidate Hernández as they face declining power in Honduras. Stabile described the actions as a form of political theater lacking substantive bases.

The urgency of these actions comes amid ongoing political uncertainty in Honduras, as the nation awaits the final results of its presidential elections. Hernández’s wife has indicated that he is currently in a secure, undisclosed location following his release for his safety. The elections are particularly notable, as former Tegucigalpa mayor Nasry Asfura, endorsed by Trump, was leading against Salvador Nasralla by a narrow margin. Should Asfura secure victory, it could facilitate Hernández’s potential return to Honduras.

The political upheaval is compounded by widespread public sentiment regarding the past administration. While some citizens reminisce about Hernández’s governance during his two terms, there is significant outrage over his expedited release following serious criminal convictions. Trump justified his pardon by claiming that many Hondurans had formally requested it and that he deemed Hernández had been treated unjustly by the judicial system.

This unfolding narrative not only illustrates the intricate relationship between U.S. and Honduran politics but also reflects the deepening complexities of governance and justice in the region.