Former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez to receive presidential pardon

The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump plans to grant a pardon to Wanda Vazquez Garced, a former governor of Puerto Rico. According to reports, Vazquez accepted a plea deal in 2025 after being accused of participating in a bribery scheme while in office.

Trump administration officials have stated that the pardon is tied to the president’s campaign against what he considers “lawfare”. The White House has not provided further details on the pardon or its connection to Trump’s broader efforts to use pardons as a means of protecting political allies.

Vazquez, who identifies as a Republican and was a member of the New Progressive Party, served as governor of Puerto Rico from 2019 to January 2021. She was arrested in 2022 on charges related to corruption, allegedly promising to fire a commissioner in exchange for campaign contributions.

Trump has granted numerous pardons since returning to office for a second term, including those to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and supporters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The president’s use of pardons has been criticized by some, with one representative from Puerto Rico stating that the pardon “weakens public integrity” and “erodes trust in the justice system”.

The pardon process is a formal procedure under which the president can grant clemency to individuals convicted of federal crimes. Trump has granted over 1,700 pardons and acts of clemency since taking office for his second term, surpassing his predecessor’s total.

Vazquez’s pardon has sparked dissent among Puerto Rico’s political opposition, with some expressing concerns about the impact on public trust in the justice system. The White House has not commented further on the pardon or its implications.

Source: Al Jazeera