Two right-leaning contenders were neck and neck in the race for the presidency in Honduras, with approximately 55% of polling stations reporting results early on Monday. The election took place shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed one of the candidates and announced a pardon for a former president.
According to preliminary figures from the National Electoral Council, Nasry (Tito) Asfura of the National Party had garnered around 40% of the votes, closely followed by Salvador Nasralla of the conservative Liberal Party with about 39.78%. Rixi Moncada of the democratic socialist LIBRE party lagged behind with 19.49% of the votes.
Asfura and Nasralla refrained from claiming victory, citing the early stage of the vote count. Despite initial excitement at their campaign headquarters, the atmosphere in the streets of the capital, Tegucigalpa, remained subdued as the tally progressed slowly.
Asfura, a 67-year-old former mayor of Tegucigalpa who received Trump’s endorsement, emphasized his practical approach as a politician, highlighting his successful infrastructure projects. On the other hand, Nasralla, a 72-year-old sportscaster, has been associated with various political parties over the years and previously ran on the ticket with the current president, Xiomara Castro.
Following the release of preliminary results on Sunday, Nasralla acknowledged the tight race and expressed optimism that the final vote count would work in his favor. He attempted to leverage Trump’s involvement to reinforce his outsider image, despite this being his fourth attempt at the presidency.
In a surprising move, Trump publicly backed Asfura, citing their alignment on countering drug trafficking. Additionally, Trump announced a pardon for former president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was serving a lengthy prison sentence in the U.S. for aiding drug traffickers.
The decision to pardon Hernández drew criticism from Democrats in Washington, with Senator Tim Kaine describing it as “shocking” and expressing concerns about the implications for combating narcotrafficking.
Amidst allegations of election manipulation, the leading candidates engaged in a war of words in the final stages of the campaign. Honduran and international observers warned of the potential impact on the acceptance of the election results. President Castro’s successor, Moncada, raised doubts about the integrity of the preliminary tallies and vowed not to comment until later.
The electoral climate was marked by security and economic concerns, with voters prioritizing safety and employment issues. Despite improvements in homicide and unemployment rates under Castro’s administration, Honduras continues to grapple with high crime rates in the region.
Many voters expressed frustration with external interventions in the electoral process, emphasizing the importance of respecting citizens’ decisions in shaping the country’s future.