Washington: Former Honduran first lady Ana Garcia de Hernandez expressed her gratitude towards US President Donald Trump on Tuesday for his decision to pardon her husband, former President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was previously convicted for drug trafficking.
According to Anadolu Agency, Ana Garcia de Hernandez took to the US social media platform X to thank President Trump for granting the pardon, which she described as a momentous occasion that ended nearly four years of hardship for her family. She emphasized the significance of Trump's decision, stating, "Yesterday, Monday, December 1, 2025, we lived a day we will never forget. After almost four years of pain, waiting, and difficult trials, my husband, Juan Orlando Hernandez, RETURNED to being a free man, thanks to the presidential pardon granted by President Donald Trump."
In her message, Garcia de Hernandez extended her gratitude to supporters who stood by their family throughout the ordeal. "Thank you, Mr. President, for giving us hope again and for recognizing a truth we always knew," she wrote. She also expressed appreciation for friends and supporters who maintained faith in their cause, attributing the outcome to collective efforts and divine intervention.
On November 28, Trump announced his decision to pardon Hernandez, overturning a 45-year prison sentence for drug trafficking and related firearms offenses. Hernandez had been found guilty in March 2024 by a federal jury in New York of conspiring to import over 400 tons of cocaine into the US, exploiting his presidential authority to facilitate the drug trade.
In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump defended his decision, suggesting that Hernandez had been treated unfairly. The pardon was met with criticism from various quarters, including Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), who condemned the action, arguing that Hernandez had orchestrated one of the largest criminal enterprises ever prosecuted in US courts. Kaine contended that the early pardon reflected a lack of commitment to combatting narcotrafficking.
Hernandez was released from a West Virginia prison on December 1, following the presidential pardon. The decision has sparked debate over its implications for US-Honduras relations and the broader fight against drug trafficking.