Weekly Report - 02 July 2026 (WR-26-26)

Honduras’ former president Juan Orlando Hernández (2014-2022) of the ruling Partido Nacional (PN), who walked free late last year from his 45-year prison sentence in the US on drug-related changes after being pardoned by US President Donald Trump [WR-25-48], is preparing to return to Honduras from the US, where he has remained since being absolved. His imminent return, which follows a judge’s suspension of an international arrest warrant for him over another case, comes just over two years after his conviction in the US which had marked a rare victory in anti-impunity efforts in the region [WR-24-26]. It is a further sign of the shifting political landscape since President Nasry Asfura, who won a dubious victory in November 2025 for the PN following major backing from Trump, took office in January, bolstered by a strong presence in the 128-member unicameral legislature.