Honduran TV presenter extends lead over Trump-supported opponent for presidency

Salvador Nasralla, a television host in Honduras, expanded his slim advantage Wednesday against Nasry Asfura, a candidate backed by former US President Donald Trump, as the presidential vote count from the weekend election stretched into its third day.

With nearly 80 percent of ballots tallied from Sunday's election, Nasralla held 40.34 percent compared to Asfuras 39.57 percent, according to the National Electoral Council (CNE). Despite this edge, officials cautioned that it was too early to declare a winner.

The CNE has faced criticism from Trump, who claimed Monday that a preliminary count showing the two candidates in a "technical tie" indicated attempts to manipulate the results. Trump warned on social media that there would be severe consequences if the outcome were altered.

The election authority urged voters to remain patient as it continued to resolve technical issues delaying the final tally. CNE officials stressed that the final result will accurately reflect the electorate's choice.

Honduran presidential elections require only a simple majority to win in a single-round vote. CNE president Ana Paola Hall said a manual review of ballots is underway to address discrepancies and ensure the most precise outcome. Ballots from remote regions, some accessible only by river or donkey, are still being counted, meaning the announcement of a victor could take several days. Legally, the CNE has one month to finalize the results.

Some voters expressed frustration over the slow process. "Now they come out saying there are issues with the system. To me, it seems like there's something fishy going on," said Katherin Matias, a 21-year-old law student in Tegucigalpa.

Trump has publicly supported 67-year-old businessman Asfura, who is competing against 72-year-old Nasralla, whom Trump has described as only "pretending to be an anti-communist." The former president has increasingly backed right-wing candidates in the region, even threatening to withhold aid from countries like Argentina and Honduras if his preferred candidates do not win.

Sundays election represents a setback for leftist parties in Honduras, potentially strengthening US influence in the country, which under previous administrations had shown growing ties with China. In a related move, Trump pardoned former President Juan Orlando Hernandez, a member of Asfura's National Party, who had been serving a 45-year prison sentence in the United States for drug trafficking. Hernandez, 57, was released Monday but will not immediately return home due to security concerns, according to his wife Ana Garcia.

Author: Riley Thompson