Nasry “Tito” Asfura Declared Winner of Honduras Presidential Election Amid Controversy
Nasry “Tito” Asfura was declared the winner of Honduras's presidential election with 40.27% of the vote, narrowly defeating Salvador Nasralla, who received 39.53%, a margin of about 28,000 votes.
The announcement followed nearly a month of vote counting and a "special scrutiny" review of tally sheets that were flagged as inconsistent. The Honduran electoral council proclaimed Asfura the winner before completing the full tally review.
Observers from the Organization of American States criticized the timing of the winner's declaration amid unresolved counts.
Nasralla rejected the result, alleging fraud including forgery and altered tally data, and urged his supporters to remain calm.
Luis Redondo, president of the Honduran Congress, also rejected the results, calling the declaration unlawful. The decision by the electoral council came from two councillors, while a third councillor aligned with Xiomara Castro did not sign the proclamation.
A Castro-aligned councillor filed a complaint with the public prosecutor, indicating the possibility of a court challenge against the outcome.
Asfura, a right-wing former mayor of Tegucigalpa and construction magnate, was publicly backed by former US President Donald Trump before the vote. Trump had threatened withholding support from the next Honduran government and had pardoned ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández days before the election. US official Marco Rubio also congratulated Asfura after the results were announced.
