President Trump suspects Honduran officials are trying to change the voting results, warning that the country will “pay a heavy price” if it is true.
“It seems that Honduras is trying to change the results of the presidential election. If they do so, there will be a heavy price,” US President Donald Trump declared on the social network Truth Social on December 1, but did not provide evidence.
The statement was made after the latest preliminary vote count results were announced on the same day, showing that Nasry Asfura, the 67-year-old candidate supported by Mr. Trump, is currently leading by only 515 votes compared to 72-year-old rival Salvador Nasralla in the presidential election taking place on November 30.
This means a “technical tie”, according to Ana Paola Hall, head of the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Honduras. Mr. Asfura’s advantage has been significantly narrowed compared to the first preliminary voting results announced on the evening of November 30.
The current difference is too close to determine early on who the winner is. CNE has called on people to be “patient” while the agency conducts a manual vote count.
US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago residence on November 27. Image: AP
On December 1, Mr. Nasralla expressed confidence that he would win even though his opponent was supported by American leaders. “I know I won the election. This morning, they sent data showing I was ahead,” the candidate told reporters about the preliminary vote count results.
He later explained on social network X that he did not declare victory, but only made a prediction about the outcome.
President Trump has recently voiced his strong support for regional allies, threatening to cut aid to Honduras and Argentina if the candidate he supports does not win. The party of Argentine President Javier Milei, an ally of Mr. Trump, won an overwhelming victory in the midterm elections at the end of October.
Candidate Nasry Asfura at a press conference in Tegucigalpa on December 1. Image: AP
Mr. Asfura, the former mayor of the capital Tegucigalpa, was announced by Mr. Trump to support him a few days before the presidential election.
Although there are no official voting results yet, this election is a clear defeat for the ruling left-wing faction, which is lagging far behind the two candidates, both of whom have right-wing positions mentioned above. The right-wing victory may help the US increase its influence in Honduras, a country that has increasingly tilted towards China under the left-wing government, according to the news agency. AFP.
Some Hondurans welcomed Mr. Trump’s move, hoping that this would mean Honduran migrants would be allowed to stay in the US, while others opposed it, saying it was election interference.