Dear John,

This week, developments in Honduras demand our attention and concern. On November 30th, Hondurans cast their vote amidst months of mounting accusations and concerns over the integrity of the electoral process. Before the election, President Trump granted a pardon to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández (JOH), who was serving a 45-year sentence in a New York federal prison after being convicted on drug trafficking charges in March 2024. On December 1st, he was released.

The evidence presented during JOH's trial was overwhelming. A federal jury found him guilty of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, using machine guns and destructive devices to further that conspiracy, and conspiring to use such weapons. Prosecutors documented how, from at least 2004 until 2022, drug-trafficking organizations moved hundreds of thousands of kilograms of cocaine—over 400 tons—through Honduras to the U.S. under his protection. Adding to our concerns, just days before Honduras's elections, the Trump administration openly backed the National Party candidate—the same party that JOH led and that has documented ties to narco-trafficking networks. The situation in Honduras remains tense as a winner has not been officially called, and the electoral process has become increasingly heated. 

Throughout this process, WOLA has consistently engaged with domestic and international observation missions and U.S. policymakers calling for the guarantee of free and fair elections in Honduras. We are monitoring the situation closely and have maintained calls for peace as tensions continue to grow. The Honduran people have the fundamental right to make their voices heard through elections and to determine their own future—without external interference. 

The contradiction is stark: an administration that claims to prioritize combating drug trafficking has pardoned a convicted drug trafficker and endorsed a political party with proven connections to narco-trafficking organizations. This sends a deeply troubling message about accountability and the rule of law. 

We will continue to stand with the Honduran people in their fight for democracy, transparency, and the right to self-determination. Their voices—not political calculations from Washington—must decide Honduras's future. 

In solidarity, 

Ana María Méndez Dardón

Director for Central America

For human rights activists across Latin America right now, the stakes are high. Violence around elections is on the rise, as are threats against those who speak in favor of justice and accountability.

Your support of WOLA creates space to amplify the voices of those who put their life on the line to champion human rights; from Caracas, to San Salvador, and everywhere in between.

"It is very worrying when a domestic security issue is approached from a military perspective because greater discretion tends to be taken that may violate human rights. And, of course, it is an approach that does not take into account the causes of this migration, the causes of of security issues, that are experienced in communities." This video is in Spanish.

Laura Dib

Director for Venezuela

– France24, ¿Cuáles han sido las consecuencias de las medidas migratorias del Gobierno Trump? • FRANCE 24

“Instead of discussing their proposals for the country, the candidates have focused on attacking each other."

Ana María Méndez Dardón

Director for Central America

– New York Times, Trump-Endorsed Candidate and Sportscaster Lead Honduran Presidential Race

"It is not a group. It’s not like a group that people would ever identify themselves as members. They don’t have regular meetings. They don’t have a hierarchy."

Adam Isacson

Director for Defense Oversight

– L.A. Times, U.S. set to label Maduro-tied ‘cartel’ as a terror organization. It’s not exactly a cartel

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