ALBAWABA - Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández returned to Honduras on Sunday, months after U.S. President Donald Trump granted him a presidential pardon, ending his 45-year jail sentence in the United States for drug trafficking and weapons-related offences.
Hernández arrived at Palmerola International Airport on a private plane to be greeted by family members, including his wife, former presidential candidate Ana García, and hundreds of fans who waited to welcome him home.
On landing, the former president and his family knelt in prayer on the airport tarmac before greeting supporters who had come from across the country. Later he proceeded to the capital, Tegucigalpa.
Hernández has been granted a pardon in the US but still faces judicial proceedings in Honduras. He is due to appear in court on August 3 charged with fraud and money laundering. Officials canceled an arrest warrant issued against him, and he can now re-enter the nation without fear of arrest.
The 57-year-old former leader indicated in an interview with Reuters before his arrival that he would try to have the local charges dismissed. He said his imprisonment in the United States was a very terrible experience and he would not want it onto anyone.
Earlier this month, Hernández wrote on social media that he had been counting the days until he could reunite with his family, adding that returning home filled him with tremendous joy after spending months behind bars.
