Hondurans vote in presidential election

Hondurans headed to the polls over the weekend to elect a new president in a tightly contested race that is taking place amid concerns over voter fraud in the impoverished Central American country.



Most polls show a virtual tie between three of the five contenders: former Defense Minister Rixi Moncada of the ruling leftist Liberty and Refoundation (LIBRE) party; former Tegucigalpa Mayor Nasry Asfura of the conservative National Party; and television host Salvador Nasralla of the centrist Liberal Party.



The Organization of American States has expressed concerns about the electoral process, and the majority of its members in an extraordinary session this week called for the government of outgoing President Xiomara Castro to conduct elections free of intimidation, fraud and political interference.



U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau also warned on X the U.S. will respond "swiftly and decisively to anyone who undermines the integrity of the democratic process in Honduras."



U.S. President Donald Trump has backed Asfura, posting on social media that "if he doesn't win, the United States will not be throwing good money after bad."



Honduras, where six out of every 10 citizens live in poverty, experienced a coup in 2009 when an alliance of right-wing military figures, politicians and businessmen overthrew Manuel Zelaya, the husband of the current president.



In 2021, Hondurans voted massively for Castro, ending more than a century of rule by the National and Liberal parties.