**Tegucigalpa, Honduras** – Nasry Asfura, the conservative candidate from the National Party, has been declared the victor in Honduras's protracted presidential election, a result announced nearly a month after polling closed on November 30th. The proclamation, however, was far from unanimous, with significant delays, allegations of irregularities, and a split within the National Electoral Council (CNE) casting a long shadow over the outcome. Asfura, a former mayor of the capital, Tegucigalpa, narrowly edged out Salvador Nasralla of the centre-right Liberal Party by a margin of approximately 28,000 votes, securing 40.3% of the ballots cast.
The electoral process was plagued by a series of technical malfunctions and accusations of fraud, which led to multiple postponements in the vote tabulation. A private firm contracted for results processing reportedly conducted unscheduled maintenance, precipitating a halt in the real-time reporting of results. Subsequently, the online portal designed to display these figures experienced a critical crash, further eroding public confidence and fueling speculation of deliberate interference. In response to the mounting concerns, a "special scrutiny" of flagged ballots was initiated the week prior to the eventual declaration, though questions linger about whether this review was fully completed before the CNE's contentious pronouncement.
The deeply divided nature of the CNE itself became a focal point of the controversy. The final decision to declare Asfura the winner was made by only two of the three councillors. Ana Paola Hall, the CNE President, along with another councillor, cast their votes in favour of Asfura. However, a third councillor, reportedly aligned with the outgoing leftist administration of President Xiomara Castro, whose party's candidate finished a distant third, refused to endorse the result, denouncing it as unlawful and without validity. This dissenting voice amplified the sense of discord and has paved the way for potential legal challenges.
The intervention of the United States, particularly the vocal backing of former President Donald Trump for Asfura, has also drawn considerable scrutiny. While the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has publicly urged all parties to accept the outcome and facilitate a peaceful transfer of power, the extent of foreign influence in such a closely contested election remains a significant point of discussion. The Organization of American States (OAS), which dispatched an observation mission to monitor the proceedings, has also voiced criticism regarding the process, adding to the international unease.
For his part, Salvador Nasralla has firmly rejected the declared outcome, stating he will not countenance a result tainted by omissions. He has appealed to his supporters to maintain composure amidst the uncertainty. The coming days are expected to reveal whether the election results will face further legal recourse and how the deeply divided political landscape of Honduras will navigate this contentious conclusion. Asfura, however, has struck a confident tone, proclaiming his readiness to govern and vowing not to disappoint the electorate.