Honduras's Nasralla maintains slight advantage over Asfura in presidential election

Salvador Nasralla, the presidential candidate from Hondurass centrist Liberal Party, has slightly extended his lead over conservative contender Nasry Asfura, who has support from former U.S. President Donald Trump, as vote counting enters its fourth day. According to the National Electoral Council (CNE), with 80.29% of ballots processed on Wednesday, Nasralla held 40.23% compared to Asfuras 39.69%, a difference of fewer than 14,000 votes.

Rixi Moncada of the left-leaning LIBRE Party remained in third place with 19.01%. The CNE emphasized that it is still too early to declare a winner. Hondurass presidential elections are decided in a single round, with victory going to the candidate receiving the most votes, even without an absolute majority.

The vote on Sunday was hotly contested, and counting has been slowed by technical issues. The CNE suspended the process for the second time on Wednesday, citing problems with the tabulation company. Official Cossette Lopez-Osorio criticized the unannounced system maintenance, calling it inexcusable. Despite the interruptions, 72-year-old Nasralla expressed confidence in his campaign.

Election observers from the European Union, the Organization of American States, and the Honduran electoral authority urged calm as ballots continue to arrive from remote regions, some accessible only by donkey or river transport. A winner may not be confirmed for several days.

Preliminary results on Monday had shown Asfura with a slight lead of around 500 votes, prompting organizers to call a technical tie and mandate a hand count. By Tuesday, Nasralla had moved ahead by a narrow margin.

Trump publicly accused the Honduran authorities of election fraud without evidence, claiming the results were being manipulated and threatening to withhold U.S. aid if Asfura did not win. In 2024, the United States provided Honduras with $193.5 million in assistance.

Moncada criticized the vote transmission system as flawed and lacking transparency, condemning Trumps statements as foreign interference. Additionally, Trump recently pardoned former President Juan Orlando Hernandez of the National Party, who had been serving a 45-year sentence in the U.S. for drug trafficking. Hernandez expressed gratitude to Trump and cited political persecution, while his wife noted he would delay returning to Honduras due to security concerns.

Author: Logan Reeves