US Pardons Dictators Who Play Ball, Shocks Precisely No One
Juan Orlando Hernández, convicted drug trafficker, is free, showering praise on Donald Trump for his pardon. This heartwarming tale of presidential clemency conveniently overlooks how Hernández's ascent was facilitated by a US-backed coup in 2009 against democratically elected Manuel Zelaya. The 'fight against drugs' in the region frequently serves as a fig leaf for maintaining US geopolitical
influence, with strongmen like Hernández becoming useful, if deeply corrupt, allies. It's almost as if 'rule of law' is less about justice and more about who's willing to serve US interests—even when those interests intersect with narco-states. One might ask if the 'war on drugs' was ever truly about drugs, or just about controlling resource-rich nations in America's backyard. The timing of such a
pardon raises questions about what favors were exchanged, or what future 'loyalty' might be expected.