**White House Defends Pardon of Former Honduran President Convicted of Drug Crimes**
The White House is defending its decision to pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was recently convicted in the United States on charges of drug trafficking and firearms offenses. The pardon, announced earlier this week, has received widespread criticism from politicians, legal experts, and human rights organizations.
Hernández was found guilty in a U.S. federal court earlier this year for participating in a large drug smuggling network that sent cocaine into the United States. Prosecutors had argued that the former leader accepted bribes from drug cartels and used military and police support to protect traffickers.
The decision to issue a presidential pardon was confirmed on November 30 by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. She said President Biden’s administration believed Hernández was unfairly targeted by the previous administration for political reasons.
“He was opposed to the values of the previous administration and they charged him because he was president of Honduras,” Leavitt told reporters at a press briefing.
Leavitt added that the White House remains committed to fighting drug trafficking but said there were concerns about how the Justice Department handled the original case. She did not provide detailed evidence to support the claim.
The U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment on the pardon. Legal experts say the move is rare and could raise questions about the independence of ongoing anti-narcotics efforts in Central America.
Honduras has not officially responded to the news, though opposition leaders in the country have expressed surprise. Some lawmakers in the U.S. Congress say they will request a full report on why the pardon was granted.
The case previously drew international attention, as Hernández had been a close ally of the United States during his time in office. His conviction was seen by many as a major victory in the fight against corruption in Central America.
The White House has not indicated whether further pardons related to high-profile international cases are being considered. Meanwhile, human rights and anti-narcotics advocates are urging transparency and accountability in all future pardons.
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