Law & Justice
Trump-pardoned Juan Orlando Hernandez returns to Honduras with fraud case pending
Former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez returned to Honduras on Sunday after Donald Trump pardoned him while he was serving a 45-year US prison sentence for drug trafficking, with fraud and money-laundering charges still pending against him at home.
Hernandez is due to appear in court on August 3. He denies accusations that he diverted $2 million in public funds to finance his first presidential campaign.
A judge suspended an arrest warrant after Hernandez agreed to appear voluntarily.
Hernandez arrived on a private plane near Tegucigalpa before travelling to a rally in Comayagua, where he addressed hundreds of supporters and thanked Trump for pardoning him.
He served as president of Honduras from 2014 to 2022. After leaving office, he was extradited to the United States to face drug-trafficking charges.
A US court found him guilty in 2024 of helping smuggle hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States in alliance with cartel leaders, including Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
Trump pardoned Hernandez last year, shortly before Honduras’s presidential election.
The pardon caused an outcry in Honduras. Then-president Xiomara Castro and her allies described Trump’s intervention as foreign interference.
Conservative candidate Nasry Asfura, an ally of Hernandez, subsequently won the election.
Hernandez said he had returned without electoral ambitions but could re-enter politics if what he called radicalism returned to Honduras.
Update
Hernandez traveled to a rally in Comayagua after landing near Tegucigalpa.
He thanked Donald Trump for the pardon during remarks to hundreds of supporters.
He is due in court on August 3 on fraud and money-laundering charges, which he denies.
Hernandez said he was returning without electoral ambitions but left open a political return if he sees what he called radicalism returning to Honduras.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 20:12:06 UTC.
Update
Hernandez arrived on a private flight at Palmerola Airport near Tegucigalpa, where family and supporters greeted him.
He thanked Donald Trump for the pardon at a gathering with hundreds of supporters.
He is due to appear in court on August 3 on fraud and money-laundering charges, which he denies.
He is accused of diverting $2 million in public funds to finance his first presidential campaign.
A judge suspended an arrest warrant after Hernandez agreed to appear voluntarily.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 18:29:20 UTC.
Update
Juan Orlando Hernandez thanked Donald Trump after returning to Honduras.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 17:33:42 UTC.
Update
Hernandez returned on Sunday, 26 July 2026.
He arrived on a private flight at Palmerola Airport near Tegucigalpa.
He was greeted by his family and supporters.
The return came almost eight months after US President Donald Trump pardoned his 45-year prison sentence for drug trafficking.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 15:08:25 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The Honduran fraud and money-laundering charges remain unresolved.
Hernandez says he has no electoral ambitions, but his future political role is unclear.
Trump’s claim that Hernandez was set up by the Biden administration was reported by AFP as being made without evidence.
Source
AFP news report published on .