From Honduran President to Convicted Drug Trafficker: The Rise and Fall of Juan Orlando Hernandez

Dec 03, 2025 12:29 pm CST

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez's remarkable journey from anti-drug crusader to convicted trafficker ended with a 45-year US prison sentence, only to receive an unexpected pardon from President Donald Trump. This article explores how Hernandez allegedly transformed Honduras into a "narco-state" while maintaining the facade of a US ally in the war on drugs, and examines the political and legal aftermath of his dramatic fall from power.