In a dramatic turn that has gripped Honduras and drawn international scrutiny, the country's Attorney General, Johel Zelaya, announced on Monday, December 8, 2025, that he had ordered Honduran authorities and Interpol to execute a 2023 arrest warrant for ex-President Juan Orlando Hernández. This move came mere days after Hernández was released from a U.S. federal prison, having been pardoned by President Donald Trump—a decision that has sent ripples through the region's political landscape.
Hernández, once hailed by American officials as a vital ally in the war on drugs, saw his fortunes reverse almost overnight. In 2024, a U.S. federal court sentenced him to 45 years in prison for facilitating the shipment of tons of cocaine into the United States. His extradition from Honduras in April 2022, orchestrated by current President Xiomara Castro of the social democrat LIBRE party, marked a stunning fall from grace for the former leader.
Yet, just as his fate seemed sealed, Trump’s pardon—announced only days before Honduras’ hotly contested national elections—threw the country into a fresh state of uncertainty. According to the Associated Press, the 2023 Honduran arrest order, signed by a Supreme Court magistrate, charges Hernández with alleged fraud and money laundering. The order specifically states it must be executed “in the case that the accused is freed by United States authorities.”
The Pandora case, a sprawling corruption scandal, looms large over the entire affair. As reported by NPR and other outlets, dozens of Honduran officials and politicians, including Hernández, were implicated in allegations of diverting government funds through a web of nongovernmental organizations to political parties—most notably to Hernández’s own 2013 presidential campaign. The accusations paint a picture of endemic corruption at the highest levels of power, fueling widespread public anger and distrust.
Renato Stabile, Hernández’s attorney, has not minced words in his response to the arrest order. In an email statement reported by multiple sources, Stabile argued, “This is obviously a strictly political move on behalf of the defeated Libre party to try to intimidate President Hernández as they are being kicked out of power in Honduras. It is shameful and a desperate piece of political theatre and these charges are completely baseless.”
Attorney General Zelaya, however, insisted that his office was obligated to act in order to uphold justice and end impunity. After Trump announced his intention to pardon Hernández, Zelaya made it clear that Honduran authorities would take steps to ensure the former president faced justice at home, should he return. “The prosecutor’s office is obliged to act after the pardon to uphold justice,” he said, as quoted by Deutsche Welle.
The drama surrounding Hernández’s fate has unfolded against a backdrop of political uncertainty. Honduras is still waiting to learn the official result of its November 2025 presidential election—a contest that has proven to be one of the closest in the country’s history. Trump, ever the political showman, threw his weight behind Nasry Asfura, the former mayor of Tegucigalpa and candidate from Hernández’s conservative National Party. Asfura, described by Trump as a “friend of freedom,” was leading Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party by less than a percentage point as the vote count dragged on. According to NPR, the Libre party condemned Trump’s endorsement as “interference and coercion” in Honduran affairs.
An Asfura victory could potentially smooth the way for Hernández’s return to Honduras, as both men hail from the same political party. However, Nasralla, who made anti-corruption the centerpiece of his campaign, has alleged that Hernández stole the 2017 election from him in a poll marred by irregularities. “The corrupt ones are the ones holding up the counting process,” Nasralla claimed, as reported by Deutsche Welle, further fueling suspicions and tensions.
The former president’s wife has stated that Hernández is currently in an undisclosed location for his safety—a precaution that speaks volumes about the volatility of the situation. Meanwhile, public reaction in Honduras has been deeply divided. Some citizens remain nostalgic for Hernández’s two terms in office, recalling a period of relative stability. Others, however, have expressed shock and outrage that a man convicted of drug trafficking in a closely watched trial could be released before serving even a fraction of his sentence. Farmers and activists have taken to the streets in protest, as captured in striking images by the Associated Press and NPR.
Trump’s decision to pardon Hernández has itself become a lightning rod for controversy. According to the Associated Press, Trump justified his move by claiming that Hondurans had requested the pardon and that, after reviewing the case, he believed Hernández had been unfairly treated by prosecutors. “Releasing Hernández reflects the will of the Honduran people,” Trump asserted. Whether that claim truly mirrors public sentiment is open to debate, given the polarized reactions on the ground.
From the perspective of Hernández and his supporters, the latest arrest warrant is nothing more than a last-ditch attempt by the outgoing Libre party to cling to relevance. They argue that the charges are politically motivated and lack any real basis. On the other hand, critics of Hernández view the arrest order as a necessary step to ensure accountability and to send a message that no one, not even a former president, is above the law.
For many Hondurans, the entire spectacle has become a symbol of the country’s ongoing struggle with corruption, impunity, and foreign influence. With the results of the presidential election still hanging in the balance, the fate of Juan Orlando Hernández remains uncertain. Will he face justice at home, or will political winds shift once again, allowing him to return under the protection of his party’s new leadership?
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the saga of Juan Orlando Hernández has become a litmus test for the rule of law in Honduras—and a stark reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the world of politics.