Trump pardons cocaine trafficker amid drug war in Venezuela

US President Donald Trump and former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez.

US President Donald Trump has pardoned a convicted cocaine trafficker amid the drug war in Venezuela. This has sparked widespread controversy.

On November 29, Trump announced that the United States would launch a massive military and diplomatic operation to destroy Venezuela's drug cartels. The US president alleged that the criminal networks have direct ties to the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

The Trump administration has designated the Venezuelan drug cartel 'Cartel of the Suns' as a foreign terrorist organization, according to the US news agency Associated Press (AP).

In addition, during the height of the tension, the United States authorized deadly attacks on drug ships in the Caribbean, which are still ongoing. According to media reports, Washington has carried out more than 20 attacks targeting the ships so far.

In addition, state-of-the-art US warships, destroyers and a large number of troops have been deployed in the Caribbean Sea near Venezuela. The White House claims that these measures are essential to stop the flow of cocaine into the United States.

Convicted cocaine trafficker pardoned
Amid such activity across the Caribbean region and a tough stance against Venezuela, Trump suddenly pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez. Juan Orlando was convicted in a US federal court in 2024 of aiding and abetting the trafficking of a large amount of cocaine.

He was extradited to the United States in 2022. He served two terms as president of Honduras. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison for his involvement in a massive arms and drug trafficking conspiracy, according to the New York Times.

According to NDTV, Trump announced a “full and complete pardon” for Juan Orlando in a social media post on Sunday, while also endorsing Nasri Asfoura, the nominee of Honduras’ right-wing National Party.

Trump claimed that he made this decision based on the opinions of many respected people, because the former president of Honduras had been treated very harshly and unfairly.

Political analysts say that the pardon announcement is very strategic, just days before the presidential election in Honduras. It will directly benefit the right-wing party candidate.

According to the indictment, Juan Orlando helped smugglers transport cocaine from Venezuela to the United States through Honduras for many years.

Trump’s pardon of Orlando, who is accused in the United States on such charges, shocked officials in both the United States and Honduras. US prosecutors had asked the court to sentence Orlando to life in prison, saying the 57-year-old Hernandez was responsible for abuse of power, collusion with a criminal drug cartel and the destruction of vast quantities of cocaine.