Honduran President Xiomara Castro has declared the general elections held on November 30 as "void" following the disappointing third-place finish of her political heir and candidate, Rixi Moncada, who garnered only 19.3% of the vote, trailing significantly behind the leading contenders.
Although the National Electoral Council (CNE) has yet to finalize the tally, with 97% of votes counted, conservative businessman Nasry Asfura, supported by former U.S. President Donald Trump, is ahead with 40.5%, closely followed by liberal Salvador Nasralla, who has 39.1%.
A mere 40,000 votes separate the two candidates in an election plagued by allegations of technological failures, cyberattacks, and discrepancies in thousands of ballots.
Calls for Election Nullification
On Sunday, Castro's ruling party, Libre, demanded a "total annulment of the elections" and urged for mobilizations, strikes, and protests, accusing the electoral system of being "manipulated by foreign interference."
The president herself supported this demand on Monday, stating in a broadcast from the Presidential House that "the process is flawed and does not reflect the people's will."
Castro, politically aligned with regimes like Nicolás Maduro’s in Venezuela and Miguel Díaz-Canel’s in Cuba, accused the opposition and "foreign powers" of meddling in the vote count to prevent her political agenda from continuing.
Responses from Electoral and International Observers
Ana Paola Hall, president of the CNE, urged political parties to remain calm, emphasizing that the law allows 30 days to formalize the results.
The OAS Electoral Observation Mission encouraged the council to expedite the counting process "to end the uncertainty," while noting that there is currently no evidence of widespread fraud.
The CNE is reviewing over 2,000 ballots with inconsistencies and is also counting votes cast abroad, particularly in the United States, home to more than 400,000 eligible Honduran voters.
Political Tensions and International Reactions
Political tensions remain high in Tegucigalpa and other cities, with Libre party supporters blocking roads and demanding a rerun of the elections.
International observers warn that Castro's call to disregard the elections could exacerbate the institutional crisis in the Central American nation.
If the CNE confirms the current results, Honduras is set to transition from a leftist government to a conservative one under Asfura, who is closely linked to former President Juan Orlando Hernández and the National Party.
From Washington, the U.S. State Department, led by Marco Rubio, urged respect for the electoral results and the preservation of democratic institutions.
Meanwhile, Castro's allies, such as Venezuela and Nicaragua, have supported the allegations of "electoral fraud" and questioned the process's transparency.
Key Questions on the Honduran Election Controversy
What triggered the call to annul the Honduran elections?
The call to annul the elections was triggered by the ruling party's disappointing performance, finishing in third place, along with allegations of foreign interference and technological issues during the electoral process.
How has the international community reacted to the election results?
The international community, including the OAS and the U.S. State Department, has urged for calm and respect for the electoral process, while allies of President Castro have expressed concerns over alleged fraud.