Citizens across Honduras are casting ballots in a high-stakes general election overshadowed by unprecedented threats of financial aid cuts from US President Donald Trump. The vote is primarily a three-way contest to elect a successor to outgoing President Xiomara Castro.
The leading candidates are Rixi Moncada, a lawyer from the ruling leftist Libre party; Salvador Nasralla, a prominent television host representing the centrist Liberals; and Nasry “Tito” Asfura, a businessman from the right-wing National Party. While a recent poll gave Nasralla a slight lead, up to 34% of voters remained undecided in the single-round election, making the outcome highly unpredictable.
US President Trump openly endorsed Asfura, stating on his social media platform that the US would be “very supportive” if the right-wing candidate won. Conversely, he issued a direct warning: “If he doesn’t win, the United States will not be throwing good money after bad.”
This threat carries considerable weight in one of Latin America’s poorest countries. The US sent more than $193 million to Honduras in the last fiscal year. Although aid has reportedly been cut, the US still disbursed over $102 million this year. The Trump Administration had already reportedly slashed $167 million in economic and governance aid that was earmarked for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.
Rixi Moncada, who is backed by outgoing President Castro, denounced Trump’s endorsement of her opponent as “totally interventionist” on Saturday. Moncada, a 60-year-old lawyer, has pledged to tackle corruption “in all its forms” and protect the country’s “natural wealth.”
Meanwhile, Asfura, a former mayor of the capital Tegucigalpa, has campaigned on a platform of “development and opportunities” and promised to attract foreign investment. He has also committed to working with the US to fight “Narcocommunists” and counter drug trafficking.
Asfura, however, is running to restore his party’s reputation following the conviction of former National Party president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was sentenced to 45 years in the US last year on drug-smuggling and weapons charges. Trump, in a dramatic move, pledged to pardon the former leader, further injecting US influence into the election. Asfura has attempted to distance himself from the scandal, asserting on Friday that he has “no ties” with Hernández.
The current frontrunner, 72-year-old Salvador Nasralla, is making his fourth presidential run. He is campaigning on an “open economy” platform and has vowed to sever diplomatic ties with China and Venezuela if elected.
The election is unfolding amid deep public mistrust. Pre-emptive accusations of fraud have been leveled by both the ruling and opposition parties, fueling fears of post-election violence. The President of the National Electoral Council, Ana Paola Hall, publicly urged all parties “not to fan the flames of confrontation or violence.”
Voters are keenly aware that the election is about more than just the presidency. Critical questions linger: will the results be delivered smoothly, will the ruling party peacefully cede power if defeated, and crucially, will the military, which faces accusations of growing politicization, remain independent of all candidates?
The polls, which opened at 07:00 CST (13:00 GMT), are scheduled to close after ten hours of voting, with preliminary results expected late Sunday evening.
