President Donald Trump is planning to pardon Wanda Vazquez Garced, the former governor of Puerto Rico, according to White House confirmations to multiple United States media outlets. The announcement follows a report by CBS News on Friday that a pardon was likely.
Trump administration officials have connected the pardon to the president's ongoing criticism of what he characterizes as politically motivated legal actions. "This entire case is an example of political persecution," an unnamed Trump official told Reuters.
Vazquez, who served as governor from 2019 to 2021, faced charges related to alleged bribery during her 2020 campaign. While details of the plea deal remain confidential, the pardon would effectively nullify any potential consequences stemming from the case.
Since returning to office for a second term, President Trump has issued a number of pardons to right-wing figures and allies. This includes the recent pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who had been convicted. These actions have drawn criticism from some quarters, with accusations of abuse of presidential power. Supporters, however, argue that the pardons are necessary to correct what they see as politically motivated prosecutions.
The pardon of Vazquez adds to the ongoing debate surrounding the president's use of executive clemency. The move is likely to be viewed through a partisan lens, with some criticizing it as further evidence of Trump's disregard for the rule of law, while others will likely defend it as an act of justice against political targeting. The White House has not yet released an official statement detailing the rationale behind the pardon.
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