The pardon granted by former US President Donald Trump to Honduran ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández has sent shockwaves through environmental defenders and human rights activists, who see it as a tacit endorsement of impunity in Honduras.
Hernández, who served as president from 2010 to 2022, was convicted of drug trafficking and weapons charges, and sentenced to 45 years in prison for conspiring to smuggle over 400 tonnes of cocaine into the US. He was also accused of grave human rights violations.
The pardon, which Trump announced last December, has been widely seen as a victory for those who had hoped to see justice served in Honduras. For Anna, a Honduran campaigner and field researcher, it represents a clear message that impunity is gaining momentum in the country.
Honduras has long been considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for environmentalists and other activists. More than 90% of human rights violations, including murders of prominent defenders like Indigenous leader Berta Cáceres, go unpunished.
The pardon has sparked fears that it will embolden those who are responsible for these crimes, leaving communities exposed and vulnerable to threats and violence. "If drug trafficking and corruption can be wiped clean through political loyalty, what protection do communities have?" says Anna.
Toby Hill, an investigator with Global Witness, believes Trump's decision risks reinforcing the crisis of impunity in Honduras. "The massive scale of impunity is at the root of this bleak reality," he says. "State capacity and judicial institutions are weakened by rampant corruption."
Honduras has long been plagued by a culture of impunity, which has led to the murder of over 155 environmental defenders since 2012. Despite these crimes going unsolved, activists like Anna continue to push for justice.
The pardon has also sparked concerns that it may have regional implications. "We are observing an open embrace of authoritarian politics throughout Latin America," says Delphine Carlens, head of the international justice desk at the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).
The FIDH believes that Trump's decision to reward Hernández with a pardon legitimises state capture and undermines judicial independence. "Even in the strongest case Honduras has ever had, justice is incomplete," says Camilo Bermúdez, of the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (Copinh).
As Anna notes, "Justice here has always been fragile. Now it feels optional."
Hernández, who served as president from 2010 to 2022, was convicted of drug trafficking and weapons charges, and sentenced to 45 years in prison for conspiring to smuggle over 400 tonnes of cocaine into the US. He was also accused of grave human rights violations.
The pardon, which Trump announced last December, has been widely seen as a victory for those who had hoped to see justice served in Honduras. For Anna, a Honduran campaigner and field researcher, it represents a clear message that impunity is gaining momentum in the country.
Honduras has long been considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for environmentalists and other activists. More than 90% of human rights violations, including murders of prominent defenders like Indigenous leader Berta Cáceres, go unpunished.
The pardon has sparked fears that it will embolden those who are responsible for these crimes, leaving communities exposed and vulnerable to threats and violence. "If drug trafficking and corruption can be wiped clean through political loyalty, what protection do communities have?" says Anna.
Toby Hill, an investigator with Global Witness, believes Trump's decision risks reinforcing the crisis of impunity in Honduras. "The massive scale of impunity is at the root of this bleak reality," he says. "State capacity and judicial institutions are weakened by rampant corruption."
Honduras has long been plagued by a culture of impunity, which has led to the murder of over 155 environmental defenders since 2012. Despite these crimes going unsolved, activists like Anna continue to push for justice.
The pardon has also sparked concerns that it may have regional implications. "We are observing an open embrace of authoritarian politics throughout Latin America," says Delphine Carlens, head of the international justice desk at the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).
The FIDH believes that Trump's decision to reward Hernández with a pardon legitimises state capture and undermines judicial independence. "Even in the strongest case Honduras has ever had, justice is incomplete," says Camilo Bermúdez, of the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (Copinh).
As Anna notes, "Justice here has always been fragile. Now it feels optional."
Trump's decision to let Hernández off scot-free is like, a total slap in the face to all those environmental defenders and human rights activists who have been fighting for justice in Honduras. I mean, come on, 45 years? That's some serious chillin' time 
. I'm not surprised that activists are freaking out - who wouldn't be when faced with the reality of impunity? 
. And let's not forget the regional implications... this is some serious business 
. I'm all for holding leaders accountable, but Trump's pardon feels like more of an own goal than anything else 
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the pardon just shows how weak trump's stance on human rights was 
i mean, granting a 45-year sentence guy who's accused of drug trafficking and grave human rights violations with a slap on the wrist is pretty laughable...and to think he thought this would send a message of justice being served in honduras? give me a break 
. it just goes to show that some people don't care about the rule of law or accountability 
and it's only going to embolden those who are responsible for these crimes, leaving communities vulnerable to threats and violence 
its already sparking so much outrage among enviro defensrs & human rights activists lol they feel like impunity is gonna get even worse 
and yeah i can see why theyre worried like if someone can just get away with all these heinous acts then whats left 2 protect the communities 
and now these activists are worried that it'll embolden more violence against them 
like whats next? are we gonna start seeing pardons for all the environmental crimes in honduras too? 
it just feels so unjust to me. i mean i get that impunity is a big issue in honduras and all, but can't they even try to hold people accountable for their actions? 
And I'm also worried about the regional implications... if Trump's decision sets a precedent for other countries in Latin America, it could be super problematic 
they're saying it's a big deal 'cause now ppl think they can get away with stuff without consequences 
what's next? 
. If Honduras can just sweep its problems under the rug because of Trump's favoritism, what does that say about the state of democracy in Latin America? 
accused of major crimes like drug trafficking and human rights violations but trump is all like "hey i pardoned him" 
and now environmental defenders and activists are freaking out 
its not just about hernandez tho its about the culture of impunity thats so deeply ingrained in honduran society 
. I mean, come on, 400 tonnes of cocaine is a BIG deal! And to think that Juan Orlando Hernández was only sentenced to 45 years? That's not justice, that's a slap on the wrist 
. It's like Trump is sending a message that if you're rich and connected, you can get away with anything 
. Not cool, Trump 
Trump's pardon for Honduran ex-prez just shows how deep corruption runs in that country 
this pardon thingy is like super bad news for human rights defenders in Honduras. i mean, 90% of human rights violations just getting ignored is crazy. and now with trump's pardon for hernandez, it's like the gov't is saying "hey, if you're rich or powerful, you can get away with murder". what about the little guy? 
his decision is literally giving a green light to impunity in honduras and it's disgusting