Honduras: former president Hernandez acquitted in Pandora II case

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez today won a final acquittal of money laundering and fraud charges in the Pandora II case. At the end of the preliminary hearing, a judge ruled that the proceedings should be terminated and ordered the definitive release of the former head of state, revoking the precautionary measures previously imposed.

According to the decision, the necessary traceability of the funds that would have been allocated to a political campaign was not demonstrated, nor that the 11 agreements examined in the proceedings had been adopted by the legislative power. Hernandez's defense had presented 31 documentary evidence and one witness, arguing that the contested decisions had been taken when the former president was at the helm of the National Congress and not the Executive. The public prosecutor had instead presented 16 documents, one witness and three expert reports. The decision can be appealed to the Court of Appeal.

Hernandez, president of Honduras from 2014 to 2022, was convicted in the United States for drug trafficking and later pardoned by President Donald Trump.