In a Manhattan courtroom overlooking the frigid winter skyline, dozens of immigrants listened intently as Juan Orlando Hernández, Honduras' former president, faced trial for his alleged role in organizing a massive cocaine smuggling operation. Hernández, known by his initials "JOH," was convicted of three counts of drug trafficking and weapons charges last year, earning him a 45-year prison sentence.
However, Trump's decision to grant Hernández a full and complete pardon has left many questions unanswered. Critics argue that Hernández's ties to U.S. officials and his role in militarizing Honduras' judicial, police, and military leadership to collude with drug traffickers make his conviction unjust.
In 2019, during the trial of Hernández's brother, Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernández, who was convicted on drug trafficking charges, it emerged that JOH had ties to U.S. officials, including Marco Rubio and Donald Trump himself. Despite this, Rubio advocated for weapons shipments to Hernández in the years leading up to his conviction.
The Honduran government has long been accused of systematic pacts between police officials and drug traffickers, with former members testifying about military units working with gangs to grease the skids of cocaine smuggling operations. Meanwhile, critics argue that Trump's pardon of Hernández represents a full-on authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government.
The Intercept notes that the pardon has been met with outrage from civil servants familiar with the case, who argue that Trump would likely take action in favor of those close to him if they had his ear. Todd Robinson, a retired diplomat and former assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs under President Joe Biden, expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of Hernández's conviction, stating that it is "not hard to put two and two together and get four" when considering Trump's motives.
The pardon has also raised questions about the U.S. government's stance on corruption in Venezuela, where Maduro's regime has been accused of collaborating with drug traffickers for decades. Critics argue that Trump's actions represent a shift away from accountability and towards authoritarianism, as evidenced by his administration's recent designation of the "Cartel de los Soles" as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
As Hernández walks free, many are left wondering what this means for the future of democracy in the United States. The Intercept urges readers to support independent journalism by becoming a member of the organization, emphasizing that press freedom is crucial in defending against authoritarianism and holding those in power accountable for their actions.
However, Trump's decision to grant Hernández a full and complete pardon has left many questions unanswered. Critics argue that Hernández's ties to U.S. officials and his role in militarizing Honduras' judicial, police, and military leadership to collude with drug traffickers make his conviction unjust.
In 2019, during the trial of Hernández's brother, Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernández, who was convicted on drug trafficking charges, it emerged that JOH had ties to U.S. officials, including Marco Rubio and Donald Trump himself. Despite this, Rubio advocated for weapons shipments to Hernández in the years leading up to his conviction.
The Honduran government has long been accused of systematic pacts between police officials and drug traffickers, with former members testifying about military units working with gangs to grease the skids of cocaine smuggling operations. Meanwhile, critics argue that Trump's pardon of Hernández represents a full-on authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government.
The Intercept notes that the pardon has been met with outrage from civil servants familiar with the case, who argue that Trump would likely take action in favor of those close to him if they had his ear. Todd Robinson, a retired diplomat and former assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs under President Joe Biden, expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of Hernández's conviction, stating that it is "not hard to put two and two together and get four" when considering Trump's motives.
The pardon has also raised questions about the U.S. government's stance on corruption in Venezuela, where Maduro's regime has been accused of collaborating with drug traffickers for decades. Critics argue that Trump's actions represent a shift away from accountability and towards authoritarianism, as evidenced by his administration's recent designation of the "Cartel de los Soles" as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
As Hernández walks free, many are left wondering what this means for the future of democracy in the United States. The Intercept urges readers to support independent journalism by becoming a member of the organization, emphasizing that press freedom is crucial in defending against authoritarianism and holding those in power accountable for their actions.
It's like, what happened to the idea of holding people in power accountable? This pardon is just so weird, especially with Hernández having ties to Marco Rubio and Trump himself... it's like they're trying to cover their tracks or something. And now we're living in a world where if you have friends in high places, you can basically get away with anything. 
I'm really worried about what's going on with this pardon. Like, come on Trump, can't you just leave some corruption to fester? 
It's not like Hernández was the only one involved in all that shady stuff. And now that he's out free, who knows what kind of damage he could do? 
I mean, we already know about his ties to U.S. officials and Rubio... it's just too much to ignore. 
This whole thing just feels like a power play to me. The fact that the government is covering this up and not holding anyone accountable for corruption is really concerning. 
We need more transparency, not less. 
. But at the same time, I think it's also an opportunity to learn from the past and strengthen our institutions 
. We should be supporting independent journalism like The Intercept, which is doing incredible work to hold those in power accountable 
. It's not all doom and gloom, we can use this as a chance to have tough conversations about what kind of leadership we want in our country 
. And hey, who knows, maybe this will spark some real change for the better 
.
I mean like what if we were to have another president come in and be all "oh wait I pardoned the wrong guy" wouldnt that be a big mess? 
also why do americans care so much about this stuff it feels like there are bigger issues going on everywhere else in the world, like venezuela 
what do you guys think is going on with this pardon and should we even be worried? 
i mean, you gotta wonder if trump's got some kinda score to settle with the honduran government and joah hernandez was just a pawn in that game... 
it seems like he's more concerned with his pals than doing what's right. and now that hernandez is free, its just gonna embolden all these other bad guys out there 
and honestly, this whole pardon thing has me worried about the state of democracy in our country 
. What's next, pardons for other corrupt officials or even worse, the influence of foreign regimes on our government? The thought alone gives me sleepless nights 