Narrow Lead, High Stakes: Nasralla Edges Asfura as Honduran Vote Count Continues

Honduran presidential hopeful Salvador Nasralla has extended a slim lead over conservative rival Nasry Asfura as officials continued to tally ballots into a fourth day. With 80.29% of ballots processed, Nasralla stood at 40.23% to Asfura's 39.69%, a margin of fewer than 14,000 votes, according to the National Electoral Council (CNE). Ruling party candidate Rixi Moncada trailed in third with about 19.01%.

Counting delays and outstanding ballots

The CNE has warned that the result is still too early to call. Counting has been repeatedly interrupted by technical failures in the tabulation system. Council members temporarily suspended the tally twice, blaming the company that operates the platform for outages and unannounced maintenance. A CNE official, Cossette Lopez-Osorio, described the most recent stoppage as "inexcusable." Ballots continue to arrive from remote communities reachable only by riverboat or donkey, meaning a final result could still take days.

Close race and procedural steps

Honduras elects its president in a single round, so the top vote-getter wins even without an absolute majority. Early preliminary tallies briefly showed Asfura ahead by roughly 500 votes before later updates put Nasralla narrowly in front. Organizers declared a "technical tie" at one point and said some ballots would have to be counted by hand to resolve discrepancies. Under Honduran law, the CNE has up to one month to officially announce a winner.

"Either way, we're going to win," Nasralla wrote on social media, expressing confidence despite the delays.

International reactions and U.S. involvement

International observers from the European Union and the Organization of American States, along with Honduras' electoral authority, have urged calm and patience while votes are finalized. The count has taken on wider geopolitical significance after former U.S. president Donald Trump publicly alleged fraud without presenting evidence and warned that U.S. aid could be at risk if Asfura does not prevail. In 2024, the United States provided about $193.5 million in aid to Honduras.

The situation was further complicated when Trump granted a pardon to former president Juan Orlando Hernandez, who had been serving a 45-year sentence in the United States on drug-trafficking charges. Hernandez thanked Trump in a public post and later published a letter describing his own claims of political persecution. His wife said he would not return home immediately because of security concerns.

Rixi Moncada criticized the vote transmission system on television as flawed and lacking transparency, and said outside accusations amounted to inappropriate intervention in Honduras' democratic process.

The CNE and observers have asked political leaders and the public to refrain from inflaming tensions while the remaining ballots are counted and any irregularities are resolved.