Voters in Honduras chose their next president in a general election this Saturday. The election was very important, but it was also affected by comments from former U.S. President Donald Trump just before the vote.
The election was to find a replacement for the current leftist president, Xiomara Castro, who could not run again. Three main candidates competed. They were Rixi Moncada from the ruling party, centrist Salvador Nasralla, and right-wing candidate Nasry "Tito" Asfura. The race was very close in the polls.
A day before the election, Donald Trump made two big statements online. First, he said that future U.S. financial help for Honduras should depend on Asfura winning. Second, he said he plans to pardon the former Honduran president, Juan Orlando Hernández, who is in a U.S. prison for drug crimes. Candidate Rixi Moncada criticized Trump's words, calling them interference.
On election day, voting was mostly calm. There were some small problems, so voting time was extended in a few places. The ruling party said it would only accept the final count from paper ballots, showing they were worried about the results.
This situation is very serious. Trump's comments connect U.S. aid directly to a specific election winner. Many people believe this hurts Honduras's own democracy. The idea of pardoning Hernández is also controversial because he represents the corruption problems Honduras has faced. Now, the new president will have to manage a relationship with the United States where important aid seems to depend on political support. This election was not just about local issues, but also about how Honduras deals with its powerful neighbor.