20 hrs ago
Honduran Court Drops Charges Against Pardoned Former President Hernandez
A court in Honduras ended a corruption case against former President Juan Orlando Hernandez.
Prosecutors had accused him and other officials of moving government money into political campaigns.
The judge said Hernandez was not responsible for the budget decisions involved.
The judge also said there was not enough proof that the money went to Hernandez's 2013 campaign.
Hernandez has always said he was innocent.
He had previously been convicted of drug-trafficking charges in the United States.
Donald Trump later pardoned him, allowing him to leave prison.
Other former Honduran officials also had their charges dropped.
A Honduran court dropped fraud and money-laundering charges against former President Juan Orlando Hernandez.
The judge said Hernandez was not responsible for relevant budget decisions and that campaign financing allegations could not be confirmed.
Prosecutors had accused Hernandez and other officials of diverting nearly $11 million in state funds to political campaigns.
Hernandez was extradited to the United States in 2022, convicted on drug-trafficking charges, and later pardoned by President Donald Trump.
Charges were also dropped against former President Porfirio Lobo and former Finance Minister Wilfredo Cerrato.
- Who
- Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, along with other officials including Porfirio Lobo and Wilfredo Cerrato.
- What
- A Honduran court dropped fraud and money-laundering charges connected to the Pandora II corruption investigation.
- Where
- Honduras; the case was reported from Tegucigalpa.
- When
- The ruling was reported on September 1, nine months after Hernandez was released from U.S. prison.
- Why
- The judge concluded that Hernandez was not responsible for the relevant budget decisions and that the alleged use of embezzled funds in his 2013 campaign could not be confirmed.
Court's Rationale
Political and Prosecutorial Concerns
Basis for ending the case
Court's Rationale
The judge found that Hernandez was not responsible for the budget decisions at issue and that the alleged campaign financing link could not be confirmed.
Political and Prosecutorial Concerns
Prosecutors had alleged that Hernandez and other officials diverted state funds to political campaigns, including potentially his first presidential campaign.
Effect of Trump's pardon
Court's Rationale
The pardon enabled Hernandez to leave U.S. prison and return to Honduras before the Honduran case was resolved.
Political and Prosecutorial Concerns
The pardon was widely viewed as an attempt to influence Honduras' presidential election, particularly because Trump linked possible funding cuts to the success of the National Party candidate.
Key facts
- Former president
- Juan Orlando Hernandez led Honduras from 2014 to 2022.
- Charges dropped
- Fraud and money-laundering charges in Honduras.
- Investigation
- The case was part of the Pandora II corruption investigation.
- Alleged funds
- Prosecutors alleged that nearly $11 million in state funds were diverted to political campaigns.
- U.S. conviction
- Hernandez was convicted in the United States on drug-trafficking charges and sentenced to 45 years in prison.
- Pardon
- U.S. President Donald Trump pardoned Hernandez late last year, according to the report.
- Other dismissed cases
- Charges were also dropped against former President Porfirio Lobo and former Finance Minister Wilfredo Cerrato.
Quotes
Juan Orlando Hernandez
Former president of Honduras who was cleared of the reported domestic charges
“This chapter of political persecution has now ended”
theprint.in
Sources
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