U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday cast doubt on the ongoing vote count in Honduras’ presidential election, warning that there would be “hell to pay” if the outcome were altered.
As of Monday, with 57 percent of ballots counted, the leading candidates remained locked in an extremely tight race.
Why It Matters
Trump has openly weighed in on the Honduran contest, backing conservative candidate Nasry “Tito” Asfura, whom he has described as a strong partner in confronting “narcocommunists” and curbing drug trafficking.
His comments come as the U.S. presence in the region has already drawn attention, amid concerns Washington could consider military action against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Trump has said that Venezuelan airspace should be closed, and the U.S. has assembled a significant military presence in the Caribbean as part of his pledge to intensify the fight against drug trafficking.
What To Know
On Monday, Ana Paola Hall, who leads the National Electoral Council of Honduras, emphasized just how close the contest is and urged voters to remain calm while officials carefully review the ballots.
Hall wrote on X that with 57 percent of votes counted, the margin between Asfura, the National Party candidate, and Salvador Nasralla, a former vice president, was only 515 votes.
Trump, posting on Truth Social, claimed that the Honduran election commission halted the vote count from Sunday’s election at midnight.
“Looks like Honduras is trying to change the results of their Presidential Election. If they do, there will be hell to pay!” the U.S. president wrote.
He also said that voters had turned out in “overwhelming numbers” but that the commission stopped counting at midnight on Sunday after only 47 percent of ballots had been processed.
“Their count showed a close race between Tito Asfura and Salvador Nasralla with Asfura holding a narrow lead of 500 votes,” Trump continued.
Pre-election polling had generally shown Asfura in front, with Nasralla in second place and Rixi Moncada, the candidate of the ruling left-wing Libre party, in third.
“Given this virtual tie, we must remain calm, be patient, and wait for the National Electoral Council to finish counting,” Hall said, adding that a special review would follow to finalize the official tally.
Hall did not state that the count had been suspended.
What People Are Saying
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “It is imperative that the Commission finish counting the Votes. Hundreds of thousands of Hondurans must have their Votes counted. Democracy must prevail!”
In a separate post on Friday, he warned of the stakes if Nasry Asfura were to lose: “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.”
Ana Paola Hall, posting on X, urged citizens to stay calm: “Patience and prudence are essential; the peace with which the process unfolded must be maintained until the final results are declared.”
What Happens Next
Hall has not provided a specific timeline for when the final results will be announced but said the electoral authority will “continue to provide updates” as the count and subsequent review move forward.
