Summary: The U.S. State Department revoked the visa of Electoral Justice Tribunal magistrate Mario Morazán and denied a visa for National Electoral Council member Marlon Ochoa, both linked to the LIBRE party, citing interference in a special review of 2,792 ballot boxes. Nearly 20 days after voting, with 99.85% counted, Nasry Asfura leads at 40.24% and Salvador Nasralla follows at 39.64%; LIBRE candidate Rixi Moncada is at 19.12% and has not accepted the results. The move highlights increased U.S. involvement in Honduran affairs amid a fraught post-election count.
U.S. Revokes, Denies Visas for Two Honduran Election Officials as Special Ballot Review Continues
Supporters of the ruling party LIBRE, Liberty and Refoundation, cheer their Presidential candidate Rixi Moncada in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
The U.S. State Department has revoked or denied U.S. visas for two Honduran election officials, citing alleged interference in a special review of ballots following a tightly contested presidential vote.
In a statement released Friday, the department said it revoked the visa of Mario Morazán, a magistrate on Honduras’ Electoral Justice Tribunal, and denied a visa application from Marlon Ochoa, a member of the National Electoral Council. Both officials are affiliated with the Liberty and Refoundation (LIBRE) party.
“The United States will not tolerate actions that undermine our national security and our region’s stability,” the State Department said, adding that Washington “will consider all appropriate measures to deter those impeding the vote count in Honduras.”
Nearly 20 days after Hondurans cast their ballots, the presidential result remains unresolved. Electoral authorities, responding to a narrow margin between the leading candidates, are conducting a special review of 2,792 ballot boxes flagged for alleged inconsistencies and errors. Officials resumed the special count on Thursday after the tally was stalled for more than a week.
With 99.85% of the vote tallied so far, conservative National Party candidate Nasry Asfura leads with 40.24%, followed closely by conservative Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party with 39.64%. Rixi Moncada, the LIBRE candidate, trails at 19.12% and has not recognized the provisional results.
The visa actions underscore the broader role the Trump administration has played in Honduran political affairs during the election period. U.S. policy in the region has included both public support for certain right-leaning figures and pressure against others, prompting debate about external influence on domestic politics.
Observers say continued U.S. engagement — from diplomatic measures to visa restrictions — could shape both the immediate vote-counting process and longer-term political dynamics in Honduras.
