Nasry “Tito” Asfura has been declared the winner of Honduras’s presidential election by a narrow 0.74% margin after a protracted count that required hand‑checking about 15% of tally sheets. The tally experienced several pauses and a disputed overnight change in online results, prompting claims of irregularities. Opposition figures, including Salvador Nasralla and the ruling Libre party, have vowed to challenge the outcome while U.S. officials signaled willingness to engage with the incoming government.
Trump-Backed Ex-Mayor Nasry “Tito” Asfura Narrowly Declared Winner In Contested Honduran Presidential Vote
Honduras presidential candidate of the National Party Nasry Asfura speaks during a press conference in Tegucigalpa on December 1, 2025, a day after the presidential election. - Marvin Recinos/AFP/Getty Images
Nasry “Tito” Asfura, a conservative businessman and former mayor of Tegucigalpa who received public backing from former U.S. President Donald Trump, has been declared the winner of Honduras’s presidential election after a razor‑thin and contentious count.
Official Result: With the majority of ballots tallied, Honduras’s National Electoral Council (CNE) announced that Asfura received just over 40% of the vote compared with Salvador Nasralla’s slightly above 39%, a margin of 0.74%. Rixi Moncada of the ruling Libre party finished a distant third with roughly 19%.
Supporters of the National Party celebrate as the National Electoral Council decelerate presidential candidate Nasry Asfura the winner of Honduras' presidential election in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025. - Fernando Destephen/AP
Counting Controversy and Recounts
The narrow margin prompted election officials to hand‑count approximately 15% of tally sheets to verify the outcome. The preliminary online tally experienced multiple interruptions: it was first paused when the top two candidates were statistically tied, resumed, then halted again citing website maintenance. Opposition leaders have pointed to a suspicious overnight shift in the online tally that they say altered vote totals.
“A result shouldn’t have been declared without counting all the votes,” said Salvador Nasralla, who has warned he will legally challenge the outcome.
U.S. Involvement and Political Backdrop
Former President Trump publicly endorsed Asfura days before the vote and later pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who had been serving a 45‑year sentence in the United States on drug‑trafficking convictions. The pardon and Trump’s endorsement drew sharp criticism from Honduras’s ruling Libre party and President Xiomara Castro, who accused outside actors of intervening in the election.
Supporters of presidential candidate for the Liberal Party Salvador Nasralla, protest to denounce electoral fraud during the last election in Tegucigalpa on December 15, 2025. Observers from the Americas and Europe said on December 15, 2025, there was no reason to suspect fraud in the recent Honduran election but criticized a sluggish vote count. - Orlando Sierra/AFP/Getty Images
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Asfura and said the United States looks forward to working with the incoming administration to advance regional prosperity and security.
Reactions and Next Steps
Nasralla’s party and Libre officials have signaled they will contest the results, citing irregularities in the digital count and what they call manipulation of the preliminary reporting system. President Castro announced her government will raise concerns with international bodies, including the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization of American States.
Asfura wrote on X after the announcement: “Honduras: I am prepared to govern. I will not fail you.” He is scheduled to be sworn in on January 27 to serve a four‑year term.
Reporting contributions noted by CNN; official tallies and timelines referenced from the National Electoral Council and news agencies.
