Asfura named Honduras president-elect as Trump warns against altering results
Nasry Asfura was declared president-elect of Honduras more than three weeks after a disputed vote marked by technical problems, manual recounts, and protests, according to the country’s electoral authority, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Nasry Asfura, a conservative politician backed by Donald Trump, was confirmed as the winner by Honduras’ National Electoral Council, known by its Spanish acronym CNE. The council stated that Asfura secured 40.3% of the vote, narrowly ahead of Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla, who received 39.5%. The ruling LIBRE party’s nominee, Rixi Moncada, placed third.
The announcement came after weeks of delays following the November 30 election, during which technical failures forced authorities to manually count about 15% of tally sheets, covering hundreds of thousands of ballots. The prolonged process triggered demonstrations by supporters of the LIBRE party, who alleged fraud and at times blocked access to facilities where ballots were stored.
The results were approved by two members of the three-person electoral council and one deputy. The third council member, Marlon Ochoa, was absent from the video declaration. Nasralla rejected the outcome, arguing that some ballots were improperly excluded, but called on his supporters to remain calm and avoid violence.
Asfura, a former mayor of the capital Tegucigalpa, said in a post on social media that he was ready to govern and pledged not to disappoint the Honduran people. He is due to take office on January 27 for the 2026-2030 term.
The head of Congress, Luis Redondo of the LIBRE party, also disputed the declaration, saying it had no legal value. Meanwhile, Trump publicly supported Asfura before and after the vote, praising him and warning of consequences if preliminary results were altered.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Asfura on his victory and urged all sides to accept the outcome to ensure a peaceful transition. The Organization of American States said it was aware of difficulties during the electoral process and plans to issue a report with findings and recommendations.
Asfura, 67, ran on a pro-business platform focused on jobs, education, and security, arguing that private investment is key to economic growth. Born in Tegucigalpa to a family of Palestinian descent, he built his political career in municipal government and gained popularity for infrastructure projects during his tenure as mayor. He is currently under investigation over alleged misuse of public funds, accusations he denies, calling them politically motivated.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported on elections in Honduras amid rising fraud allegations and mounting pressure on electoral authorities.
