Honduras Votes as Trump Threatens Aid Over Outcome

Voters in Honduras began casting ballots as polls opened for a 10-hour voting window, with first results expected on Sunday. The election is taking place amid international pressure after the US indicated continued aid could hinge on whether Nasry “Tito” Asfura of the rightwing National party wins the presidency. Asfura faces two main challengers in a neck-and-neck race: Rixi Moncada of the ruling Libre party and Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal party. The outcome could push Honduras, one of Latin America’s poorest countries, toward a potential rightward shift after years of leftist rule.

Asfura, aged 67, is the candidate favored by the US president, who has stated that if Asfura does not win, the United States “will not be throwing good money after bad.” The remarks echo similar pledges made in support of other leaders across the region. In a dramatic move, the former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, who is serving a 45-year prison sentence in the US for cocaine trafficking and related charges, was also offered a presidential pardon by Trump. Trump claimed Hernandez was unfairly treated, though he provided no elaboration on the grounds for the pardon.

The race is framed by Honduras’ recent political history, including the 2009 coup and Xiomara Castro’s presidency. Voters lined up at polling stations in Tegucigalpa as the day began, with many hoping for a peaceful and transparent process. First results are anticipated later in the day, painting a picture of whether the country will pivot toward the right or continue with the current left-leaning leadership in some form.

If the right wins, Honduras could join a growing list of Latin American countries where voters have shifted toward more conservative or populist platforms in recent years, a development that would have regional implications beyond its borders.

Cover image source: What to Know About Honduras’s Elections 🔗

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