Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez has been released from US custody after receiving a presidential pardon from Donald Trump.
Hernandez, who led Honduras from 2014 to 2022, was sentenced to 45 years in prison for drug trafficking and firearms offences.
A Manhattan jury convicted him in March 2024 for accepting millions in bribes to protect cocaine shipments to the United States. He has maintained his innocence.
His wife, Ana Garcia, shared the news on social media, expressing relief and gratitude.
She wrote that the pardon brought “hope” after nearly four years of legal battles.
Trump had announced his intention to grant Hernandez a “full and complete pardon” on November 28, 2025, citing what he described as unfair treatment.
The release comes just days before Honduras’ presidential election, where Hernandez’s ally, Nasry Asfura of the conservative National Party, faces a tight contest against liberal candidate Salvador Nasralla and former defence minister Rixi Moncada of the ruling LIBRE Party.
Honduras is currently led by President Xiomara Castro, who maintains strong ties with Cuba and Venezuela.
Analysts suggest the pardon could influence the political landscape ahead of the election.