Honduras’ election authorities on Wednesday officially declared right-wing candidate Nasry “Tito” Asfura the winner of the country’s presidential election, ending weeks of uncertainty following delays, technical issues, and allegations of election interference.
According to a Reuters report, Asfura secured 40.3 percent of the vote, narrowly defeating Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla, who finished with 39.5 percent. The results of the Nov. 30 election were confirmed nearly a month later after election officials worked through accusations of rigged votes and problems within the electoral system.
Asfura, a longtime conservative figure in Honduran politics, celebrated the announcement in a message posted on X. “Honduras: I am prepared to govern. I will not fail you. God Bless,” he wrote. He also praised election officials and staff, saying he recognized “the great work carried out by the councilors and the entire team that handled the development of the elections.”
President Donald Trump had previously voiced strong support for Asfura, calling him the “only real friend of Freedom in Honduras.” Trump had also weighed in publicly as the vote count dragged on, warning against any effort to overturn the outcome.
Asfura is set to be sworn in on Jan. 27, beginning a four-year term as president. He previously served as mayor of Tegucigalpa, the nation’s capital and largest city, from 2014 to 2022, building a national profile before launching his presidential bid.
His victory adds to a recent string of right-leaning electoral wins across Latin America. The result comes less than a week after pro-Trump populist José Antonio Kast won Chile’s presidential election over a candidate from the Communist Party, signaling continued momentum for conservative movements in the region.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the outcome, offering congratulations and signaling continued cooperation between Washington and Tegucigalpa. “The people of Honduras have spoken: Nasry Asfura is Honduras’ next president,” Rubio wrote on X. He added that the United States looks forward to working with Asfura’s administration to advance prosperity and security throughout the hemisphere.
Despite the official declaration, Asfura’s opponent has continued to dispute the results. Nasralla alleged that the election was manipulated during the counting process. In a post on X cited by CNN, he claimed that early in the morning on Dec. 4, the vote-counting system went dark and that an algorithm altered the reported totals, reversing the candidates’ vote counts.
Nasralla alleged that more than one million votes originally cast for him were reassigned to Asfura, while Asfura’s votes were shifted in the opposite direction. Election authorities have rejected those claims, ultimately certifying the results in Asfura’s favor.
Trump also commented on the controversy in a Dec. 1 post on Truth Social, warning against changing the outcome. “Looks like Honduras is trying to change the results of their Presidential Election,” he wrote at the time. “If they do, there will be hell to pay!”
With the election now certified, Asfura prepares to take office amid lingering opposition claims but with backing from conservative leaders at home and abroad. The result marks a significant political moment for Honduras as it turns toward a new administration following a contentious and closely watched election.
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