Trump said he intends to pardon the former Honduran president who is serving a sentence for drug trafficking

The president explained his decision on social media by posting that “according to many people whom I deeply respect, Hernandez has been treated extremely harshly and unfairly.”

In March last year, Hernandez was convicted in a US court of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. He served two terms as leader of the Central American nation of about 10 million people.

The post was part of a broader message from Trump to support Tito Esfora for the presidency of Honduras, with Trump saying the United States would support the country if he won. But if Asfara loses the election on Sunday, Trump posted that “the United States will not throw good money after bad money, because the wrong leader can only bring disastrous results for a country, no matter which country you are from.”

Outgoing Honduran President Xiomara Castro leans toward a leftist position, but has maintained a pragmatic and even cooperative stance in dealing with the US administration, receiving visits from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and US Army General Laura Richardson, when she was commander of US Southern Command. The president even backed away from his threats to end Honduras’ extradition treaty and military cooperation with the United States

Under Castro, Honduras also received its own deported citizens from the United States and served as a bridge for deported Venezuelans who were then picked up by Venezuela in Honduras.