S.Amdt. 5726

SA 5726, submitted by Mr. Welch, is an amendment to bill S. 2. The purpose of this amendment is to officially condemn the pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez.

Key Findings

The amendment adds a section containing the following findings:

• President Hernandez was at the center of one of the world's largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies from at least 2004 through 2022.
• He used his authority to facilitate the importation of over 400 tons of cocaine into the United States.
• He and his co-conspirators used weapons, such as AK-47s and grenade launchers, and abused Honduran institutions like the military and National Police to protect their operations.
• He received millions of dollars in bribes from drug-trafficking organizations, including a $1,000,000 bribe from El Chapo.
• He promised protection from extradition to the United States for traffickers who bribed him.
• He was convicted of weapons conspiracy and drug trafficking, receiving a sentence of 45 years in prison and an $8,000,000 fine.
• The amendment states that the pardon granted by President Donald J. Trump is an affront to the jurors and law enforcement officials involved in the case, weakens the rule of law, and harms the credibility of the United States in fighting drug trafficking.