Accusation of 'intimidation' made by member of Honduras election council against colleague

A member of Hondurass National Electoral Council (CNE) has accused a colleague of attempting to disrupt the ongoing presidential election process as the country awaits final results from Sundays vote.

In a social media statement on Tuesday, Cossette Lopez-Osorio alleged that fellow councillor Marlon Ochoa tried to obstruct a press briefing aimed at resuming the publication of vote counts through intimidation. Lopez-Osorio claimed that Ochoa mobilized members of the LIBRE party and his own staff to the Hotel Plaza Juan Carlos to prevent the councils public appearance.

The accusations intensify tensions surrounding the election, where two main candidates are currently in a tight race. As of Tuesday afternoon, Salvador Nasralla of the centre-right Liberal Party held 39.93% of the votes, narrowly leading Nasry Tito Asfura of the right-wing National Party, who had 39.86%. Rixi Moncada of the leftist LIBRE party, an early frontrunner, lagged behind, and approximately 20% of votes remain uncounted.

The CNE is composed of three councillors, each representing one of Hondurass major political parties: the Liberal Party, the National Party, and LIBRE, the party of outgoing President Xiomara Castro. Lopez-Osorio represents the National Party, while Ochoa is the LIBRE representative. Their relationship has been fraught with accusations, including a recent complaint Ochoa filed with federal prosecutors, claiming Lopez-Osorio conspired with the military to influence election results. Lopez-Osorio denied the claims, calling the recordings fabricated, though an investigation was opened by the Attorney General.

Ochoa has publicly questioned the elections integrity, citing technical failures in a voting system test on November 9 as evidence of a broader conspiracy within the electoral council. Meanwhile, the CNE has faced other conflicts, including a rejected request from the head of Hondurass armed forces to conduct an independent vote count, which legal experts stated lacks constitutional support.

Concerns over irregularities have persisted throughout the electoral process. Earlier delays in distributing election materials caused long lines, and government website crashes have hindered the vote count this week. Lopez-Osorio told CNN that these issues were technical in nature and denied any deliberate interference. The CNE is coordinating with the technology provider, ASD SAS, to resolve the problems and continue processing the remaining ballots.

International attention has already intensified. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, a supporter of Asfura, amplified claims of election fraud on his social platform, while Moncada, the left-wing candidate, pledged to challenge the results, citing the leaked audios as proof of electoral manipulation. Both Moncada and Lopez-Osorio urged vigilance among the Honduran public.

Lopez-Osorio concluded her statement by warning citizens to remain alert as the vote count continues, highlighting the fragile and contentious environment surrounding Hondurass presidential election.

Author: Sophia Brooks