Honduras Election Deadlock Persists: Asfura Holds Slim Lead, Vote Count Continues Amid Trump's Controversial Backing

Honduras Election Deadlock Persists as Vote Count Enters Seventh Day Amid Trump's Controversial Backing

The presidential election in Honduras continues to be too close to call, with vote counting stretching into its seventh day. Conservative candidate Nasry Asfura maintains a razor-thin lead, keeping the nation and international observers in suspense.

Close Race and Ballot Review

As of Saturday, with an impressive 88% of ballots processed, Asfura, representing the National Party, held 40.19% of the votes. This places him approximately 20,000 votes ahead of his main centrist contender, Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party, who currently stands at 39.49%. Meanwhile, Rixi Moncada of the ruling leftist LIBRE Party lags significantly in third place with 19.30%.

Adding to the complexity, election officials have reported that about 14% of ballots exhibited inconsistencies and are currently undergoing a thorough review, a factor contributing to the extended wait for final results.

Washington's Watchful Eye and Trump's Intervention

The Honduran electoral process has garnered intense attention from Washington. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau publicly underscored this global focus, noting on social media that "The world's eyes, including ours, are on Honduras."

U.S. President Donald Trump has been directly involved, first by openly endorsing Asfura prior to last Sunday's election, and subsequently by making allegations of election fraud without providing concrete evidence. Experts view Trump's support for Asfura as part of a broader strategy to foster a conservative bloc across Latin America, drawing comparisons to his relationships with leaders like Nayib Bukele in El Salvador and Javier Milei in Argentina.

Further fueling the controversy, days before the voting, Trump announced a pardon for former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, a member of Asfura's National Party. Hernandez had been serving a 45-year sentence in the U.S. following convictions for drug trafficking and weapons charges. In his first public statement after his release, Hernandez thanked Trump for the pardon and for his "interest in the fate of our nation."

Calm in the Capital Amid Manual Count

Despite the high stakes and the ongoing uncertainty, the streets of the capital city, Tegucigalpa, remained calm on Saturday. Election workers across the country diligently continued the laborious process of counting ballots by hand.

The Candidates in Focus

• Nasry Asfura: The 67-year-old former mayor of Tegucigalpa, whose time in office was marred by various allegations of corruption.
• Salvador Nasralla: A seasoned political figure, having run for president three times, and a former popular TV presenter. He describes his political stance as center-right and suggested to Reuters that Trump's unexpected endorsement of Asfura significantly shifted the dynamics of the race.
• Rixi Moncada: The 60-year-old teacher and lawyer represents the LIBRE Party, which has been the governing party in Honduras since 2022.

Honduras conducts its presidential elections in a single round, with victory going to the candidate who secures the most votes, irrespective of the margin or whether they achieve an outright majority. The nation now awaits the definitive outcome of this closely observed electoral contest.