Trump's aid threats cast a cloud on Hondurans' election results
Trump's aid threats cast a cloud on Hondurans' election results.
Threats from US President Donald Trump are dominating the general election in which Hondurans are voting.
The poll is perceived as a three-way contest between former defence minister Rixi Moncada of the leftist Libre party, TV host Salvador Nasralla of the centrist Liberals, and businessman Nasry "Tito" Asfura of the right-wing National Party, despite the bill's five presidential contenders.
Trump has endorsed Asfura and vowed to stop providing financial assistance to the Central American country if he loses.
Nasralla is ahead according to the most recent opinion poll, but anyone can win because 34% of voters are still unsure.
Honduran law prohibits outgoing president Xiomara Castro, who became the nation's first female president when she assumed office in 2021 on behalf of the Libre party, from seeking reelection.
She has supported Moncada to succeed her. If she prevails, the 60-year-old attorney has promised to defend "natural wealth" against "21st-century filibusters who want to privatise everything". Additionally, Moncada has stated that she is dedicated to fighting corruption "in all its forms."
Moncada called Trump's support of her right-wing rival "totally interventionist" and accused him of interfering in the election on Saturday.
The US would be "very supportive" if Tito Asfura were to win the presidency, according to Trump.
"If he doesn't win, the United States will not be throwing good money after bad, because a wrong Leader can only bring catastrophic results to a country, no matter which country it is," Trump posted on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to the State Department website, the US sent more than $193 million (£146 million) to Honduras in the previous fiscal year, and despite aid cuts, it has sent more than $102 million this year. According to the Congress website, the Trump Administration has already reduced $167 million in economic and governance assistance that was scheduled for 2024 and 2025.
Trump stated in a different tweet that he and Asfura, the former mayor of Tegucigalpa, the capital, could "work together to fight the Narcocommunists" and combat drug trafficking.
In a number of social media posts, Nasry Asfura has promised to "develop and opportunities for everyone," "facilitate foreign and domestic investment into the country," and "generate employment for all."
But in recent years, his party has been beset by scandals and accusations of corruption; last year, former president and party leader Juan Orlando Hernández was sentenced.
Trump now plans to reverse Hernández's 45-year sentence for drug smuggling and firearms offences in the United States.
Asfura has made a concerted effort to keep his distance from Hernández. He stated to the news agency AFP on Friday that he has "no ties" to the former president and that "the party is not responsible for his personal actions."
Salvador Nasralla, 72, is currently the front-runner and is seeking the presidency for the fourth time.
He asserts that "electoral fraud perpetrated by Hernández" was the reason behind his 2017 victory. Although the judgement sparked widespread protests across the nation, this was never established, and a partial recount revealed no anomalies.
Nasralla's campaign website states that he is dedicated to creating jobs and that "an open economy" would be the primary emphasis of his government. Additionally, he declares that he will cut relations with Venezuela and China if he wins.
The US has increased its military presence in the region and launched at least 21 lethal strikes on vessels it claims were transporting drugs, escalating tensions between Venezuela and the US. Despite not having the authority to do so, Trump said on Saturday that Venezuela's airspace should be regarded as closed.
The single-round election polls will conclude after ten hours of voting, having started at 07:00 CST (13:00 GMT).
Both the opposition and the ruling party have made preemptive charges of election fraud, which have undermined confidence in the results and raised concerns of unrest following the election.
Ana Paola Hall, the president of the National Electoral Council, issued a warning to all parties "not to fan the flames of confrontation or violence" in response.
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