Polls open in Honduras presidential election marked by fraud accusations | Elections News

The vote is being held in a highly polarized environment, with the US supporting right-wing candidate Nasri Asfura.

Hondurans are voting to elect a new president in a tight race amid concerns over voter fraud in the poor Central American country.

Voting began at 7 a.m. local time (13:00 GMT) on Sunday and lasted for 10 hours, with the first results expected late Sunday.

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 Nasri Asfura of the right-wing National Party; and television host Salvador Nasralla of the centrist Liberal Party.

The election, which will also elect 128 members of Congress, hundreds of mayors and thousands of other public officials, is being held in a highly polarized environment, with the three top candidates accusing each other of plotting fraud. Moncada has suggested that she will not recognize the official results.

Incumbent President Xiomara Castro of the LIBRE Party is limited by law to one term.

The Office of the Attorney General of Honduras, which is affiliated with the ruling party, has accused opposition parties of planning to commit voter fraud, although they deny this claim.

Prosecutors have begun investigating audio recordings that allegedly show a high-ranking National Party politician discussing plans with an unidentified military officer to influence the election.

The alleged recording, which the National Party says was made using artificial intelligence, has become a centerpiece of Moncada’s campaign.

public distrust

Political tensions have contributed to increased public distrust of electoral officials and the electoral process in general. There has also been a delay in providing voting material.

“We’re hoping there will be no fraud and that the elections will be peaceful,” said Jennifer Lopez, a 22-year-old law student in Tegucigalpa. “This will be a huge step forward for democracy in our country.”

Amid the heated atmosphere, 6.5 million Hondurans will decide between continuing Castro’s leftist social and economic agenda or moving toward a conservative agenda by supporting liberal or national parties.

Castro, the first woman to rule Honduras, has increased public investment and social spending. The economy has grown modestly, and poverty and inequality have declined, although both remain high. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has praised his government’s prudent financial management.

The country’s murder rate has also fallen to its lowest level in recent history, but violence continues.

America’s stance

The Organization of American States has expressed concerns about the electoral process, and in an extraordinary session this week a majority of its members called on the government to hold elections free from intimidation, fraud and political interference.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau also warned on Twitter that the United States would “respond swiftly and decisively to anyone who seeks to undermine the integrity of the democratic process in Honduras”.

US President Donald Trump has supported Asfura, posting on social media that “If he does not win, the United States will not throw good money after bad money”.

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

In 2021, Honduran voters gave Castro a landslide victory, ending decades of rule by the National and Liberal parties.