Honduran Electoral Authorities Announce Presidential Results
Honduras' electoral authorities declared Nasry Asfura the winner of the presidential election on Wednesday afternoon, concluding a weeks-long vote count. Asfura's victory marks a continuation of a rightward political trend in Latin America, following Chile's recent election of José Antonio Kast.
Election Outcome and Candidate Performance
Nasry Asfura, representing the conservative National Party, secured 40.27% of the vote in the November 30 election. This placed him ahead of Salvador Nasralla, a four-time candidate from the conservative Liberal Party, who received 39.53% of the vote. The candidate from the Liberty and Re-foundation Party (LIBRE), associated with the incumbent leftist leader, finished in third place with 19.19%.
Asfura, a former mayor of Tegucigalpa, achieved the presidency in his second electoral attempt. The close contest between Asfura and Nasralla during the vote count generated international attention.
Post-Election Statements and Allegations
Following the announcement, Asfura stated on social media, "Honduras: I am prepared to govern. I will not let you down." Concurrently, several electoral officials and candidates expressed disputes regarding the results.
Salvador Nasralla maintained claims of electoral fraud, asserting that the electoral authorities had "betrayed the Honduran people." He also addressed former U.S. President Donald Trump, questioning the validity of his endorsement given the alleged vote silencing.
International Reactions and External Involvement
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Asfura, stating that the U.S. administration anticipated collaboration. Other right-leaning leaders in Latin America, including Argentine President Javier Milei, and the European Union also extended congratulations.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump had endorsed Asfura days prior to the election, stating he was the only Honduran candidate the U.S. administration would engage with. Opponents of Asfura suggested that Trump's endorsement constituted electoral interference.
Electoral Process Scrutiny
The election was characterized by a prolonged vote count, which contributed to accusations of irregularities. The process was stalled for over three weeks, including a period of paralysis during a special tally of final votes. The Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Albert Rambin acknowledged the announced results while noting the OAS was "closely following events." The OAS also criticized the electoral authorities for announcing results with a narrow margin while 0.07% of votes were still being counted.
Political Shift and Incumbent's Position
The outcome represents a political shift away from incumbent progressive President Xiomara Castro, who was elected in 2021 on a platform of reducing violence and addressing corruption. Castro had previously indicated she would accept the election results, despite having described Trump's actions as an "electoral coup."
An independent international observer with the Seattle International Foundation, Eric Olson, noted that the definitive rejection of Castro's party limited their grounds for contesting the outcome. Olson indicated that while some within LIBRE might allege fraud or intervention, they were not claiming victory in the election.