Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was sentenced to 45 years in prison for helping to bring hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States, has been released from prison due to Trump's presidential pardon.

This is not just a controversy; it's the kind of story that makes you think, "Are they really flipping it like this?"

The online reactions have been quite intense.

"While claiming to fight drugs, the person who killed people with illegal drone strikes on suspected drug organizations in the Caribbean... is now completely pardoning a former president convicted of drug trafficking? What world is Trump living in?"

Former President Hernandez was officially released from the Hazelton Federal Correctional Institution in West Virginia on Monday, and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirmed his release.

His wife, Ana Garcia, posted on X (formerly Twitter), "After nearly four years of pain and waiting, my husband is finally free. This is thanks to President Trump's pardon," expressing her gratitude.

However, even more absurd is Trump's own explanation.

When reporters on Air Force One asked, "Why did you grant the pardon?" do you know what Trump said?

"The people of Honduras asked for it,"
"He was trapped by the Biden administration,"
"The truth is he is not a drug dealer, he was just a president" ... something along those lines.

I mean, I don't think even drug dealers would claim such a level of injustice.

In fact, Hernandez was arrested in 2022 at the request of the United States, and later, a New York federal court recognized that he had accepted bribes from drug organizations and helped send 400 tons of cocaine to the U.S., resulting in a 45-year sentence.

The judge overseeing the trial even stated, "Just because you dress well and are smart doesn't mean you can be above the law." The judge even revealed that Hernandez pretended to cooperate with the U.S. government while using his country's military and police to protect drug trafficking.

But Trump turned that into a "Biden conspiracy."

Even more ridiculous, as soon as Trump announced the pardon, the Attorney General of Honduras stated, "We will also bring him to justice; the real investigation starts now," indicating that just because he was released in the U.S. does not guarantee he can live comfortably back home.

Moreover, this pardon was announced just days before the Honduran elections, causing significant ripples in the local political landscape. Trump's stone thrown into the political arena has crossed borders, affecting elections in South America as well.

Looking at this, it seems that Trump views the pardon power merely as a "tool to grant favors to friends." The presidential pardon in the U.S. should ideally be a last resort to correct justice, but seeing it used as a political card is truly disheartening.

The conclusion is simple.

A former president who turned a blind eye to the trafficking of hundreds of tons of cocaine has been released by a former U.S. president for the sole reason of claiming injustice.

We will have to see how the Honduran government responds and what aftershocks this pardon will bring to international relations and politics, but just looking at the current situation, it is truly astonishing.