Trump-backed Nasry Asfura declared winner of Honduras presidency

[ad_1] The nationwide electoral council CNE mentioned the 67-year-old son of Palestinian immigrants defeated fellow conservative TV character Salvador Nasralla by lower than one share level.

Asfura's victory marks the return of the precise wing to energy in certainly one of Latin America's poorest nations after 4 years of leftist Xiomara Castro's presidency.

It additionally aligns Honduras with an increase of conservative governments within the area following shifts in Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Argentina.

"Honduras: I am prepared to control. I will not allow you to down," Asfura posted to X after the win was declared, thanking election officers for validating his victory.

Asfura, who takes workplace on January 27, prevailed with simply 40.1 p.c of the vote, narrowly beating Nasralla at 39.5 p.c, in line with the official outcomes.

Rixi Moncada, a lawyer from the leftist Libre Celebration, which at the moment runs the federal government, trailed in third with 19.2 p.c.

Inside minutes of the consequence declaration, the US welcomed the election of Asfura, saying it will assist cease unlawful immigration.

"We sit up for working along with his incoming administration to advance our bilateral and regional safety cooperation, finish unlawful immigration to the US, and strengthen the financial ties between our two nations," Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned in an announcement.

Following the prolonged counting course of within the Central American nation's election, Rubio referred to as on all sides to "respect the confirmed outcomes in order that Honduran authorities could swiftly guarantee a peaceable transition of authority."

Argentina's President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, mentioned on X that the Honduras vote amounted to "a convincing defeat of narco-socialism."

Tensions, challenges The consequence was introduced greater than three weeks after the November 30 election. The look ahead to the result has prompted tensions amongst Hondurans, and the sluggish depend has been accompanied by claims of irregularities and voter fraud.

Nasralla had demanded a full recount resulting from alleged irregularities, and has not acknowledged Asfura's victory.

<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/15958f42-cebd-11f0-b9d2-005056bf30b7/w:980/a00407390e2963ec56969f94146a7babb7657b19.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/15958f42-cebd-11f0-b9d2-005056bf30b7/w:246/a00407390e2963ec56969f94146a7babb7657b19.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/15958f42-cebd-11f0-b9d2-005056bf30b7/w:388/a00407390e2963ec56969f94146a7babb7657b19.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/15958f42-cebd-11f0-b9d2-005056bf30b7/w:720/a00407390e2963ec56969f94146a7babb7657b19.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/15958f42-cebd-11f0-b9d2-005056bf30b7/w:980/a00407390e2963ec56969f94146a7babb7657b19.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Honduras president-elect Nasry Asfura, seen here after voting in Tegucigalpa on November 30, 2025, was declared the winner following a weeks-long recount process that raised tensions and triggered cla" style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Honduras president-elect Nasry Asfura, seen right here after voting in Tegucigalpa on November 30, 2025, was declared the winner following a weeks-long recount course of that raised tensions and triggered claims of fraud © Johny Magallanes, AFP The recount of almost 2,800 tally sheets with suspected inconsistencies was pored over by a whole lot of electoral workers and political delegates to determine the race.

The CNE had till December 30 to declare a winner.

Final week, 1000's of supporters of the outgoing president's leftist Libre Celebration staged an indication within the capital Tegucigalpa to protest what they contemplate "fraud" within the vote.

On the eve of the election, Donald Trump in a shock transfer pardoned former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, a member of Asfura's occasion who was serving a 45-year jail sentence in the US for drug trafficking.

Extradited by Honduras to face justice in the US, Hernandez insists he had been arrange by the earlier administration of US president Joe Biden due to his conservative insurance policies.

Former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández freed after Trump pardon

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<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/1ef1edd2-cfb8-11f0-a26b-005056bf30b7/w:1280/p:16x9/EN-20251202-204335-204524-CS.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/1ef1edd2-cfb8-11f0-a26b-005056bf30b7/w:388/p:16x9/EN-20251202-204335-204524-CS.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/1ef1edd2-cfb8-11f0-a26b-005056bf30b7/w:720/p:16x9/EN-20251202-204335-204524-CS.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/1ef1edd2-cfb8-11f0-a26b-005056bf30b7/w:1024/p:16x9/EN-20251202-204335-204524-CS.jpg 1024w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/1ef1edd2-cfb8-11f0-a26b-005056bf30b7/w:1280/p:16x9/EN-20251202-204335-204524-CS.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) calc(100vw - 32px), (max-width: 1076px) calc(100vw - 44px), 850px" width="1280" height="720" alt="Former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández freed after Trump pardon" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> © France 24 The pardon was broadly seen as contradicting Trump's crackdown on alleged drug traffickers in Latin America.

Trump additionally endorsed Asfura, suggesting they may "work collectively to struggle the narco-communists," and warned "there can be hell to pay" if the conservative candidate's razor-thin lead was overturned within the depend.

On Wednesday Hernandez took to X to congratulate Honduran voters, saying the nation "closes a cycle and opens a brand new period with hope, dedication and duty."

Asfura faces main challenges. He has pledged to draw overseas funding to the nation of 11 million folks and re-establish ties with Taiwan – after his predecessor warmed to China in 2023.

He'll govern a extra polarized nation amid lingering doubts in regards to the elections, which Castro mentioned was below "severe query" resulting from an absence of transparency, coercion of voters by gang members, and "threats" from Trump.

Honduras can be suffering from violence and the crime of drug traffickers and main gangs, which Castro has struggled to fight regardless of declaring a state of emergency.