Honduran election authorities resume vote tallies amid allegations of fraud

Central American federation connected borderline aft voting plagued by fraud claims and a caller past of contested elections.

Election officials successful Honduras person released updated voting results from the country’s November 30 election, pursuing a three-day intermission successful tallies amid allegations of fraud and inconsistencies.

With 89 percent of ballots tallied connected Monday, the blimpish campaigner Nasry Asfura held a slim pb of 40.21 percent implicit centrist contender Salvador Nasralla, who has 39.5 percent.

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Rixi Moncada, a leftist campaigner with the governing LIBRE party, is trailing successful 3rd place, with 19.28 percent.

“After carrying retired the indispensable method actions (with outer auditing), the information is present being updated successful the results,” Ana Paola Hall, president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), said successful a societal media post.

Allegations of fraud had dominated the lead-up to the election, and statements from United States President Donald Trump-backed person likewise stirred controversy.

In the last days earlier the election, Trump indicated that helium whitethorn not beryllium capable to work with anyone but Asfura. That, successful turn, led to an outcry from different candidates who accused the US person of predetermination meddling.

The electoral assemblage stated that astir 14 percent of the tally sheets showed inconsistencies and would beryllium reviewed. Hall added successful her station that candidates indispensable “stay alert and, wherever applicable, record the corresponding challenges successful accordance with the law”.

Following a coup successful 2009, Honduras experienced a play of repression and disputed elections that near galore sceptical astir the legitimacy of the electoral process. Security forces killed astatine slightest 16 radical erstwhile they opened occurrence connected protesters pursuing a contested ballot successful 2017, with astir 30 killed successful protests crossed the country.

The prolonged vote-counting has fuelled concerns that akin clashes mightiness erupt.

The absorption has besides criticised Trump’s stated penchant for Asfura arsenic a signifier of interference, fixed his menace that US enactment could beryllium withdrawn if helium did not win.

Trump has antecedently written, “If helium [Asfura] doesn’t win, the United States volition not beryllium throwing bully wealth aft bad.”

Moncada, the Libre candidate, has said she volition not recognise the results that took spot nether “interference and coercion”. Nasralla has besides said that Trump’s interference whitethorn person outgo him votes.

Accusations of impropriety are widespread, with a blimpish subordinate of the CNE sheet accusing a LIBRE subordinate of “intimidation”, and Nasralla saying that “the corrupt ones are the ones holding up the counting process”.

Rights groups and civilian nine organisations person called for patience and transparency.