Polls open in Honduras presidential election marked by fraud accusations

The ballot is taking spot successful a highly polarised climate, with the US backing the right-wing campaigner Nasry Asfura.

Hondurans are heading to the polls to elite a caller president successful a tightly contested contention that is taking spot amid concerns implicit elector fraud successful the impoverished Central American country.

Polls opened connected Sunday astatine 7am section clip (13:00 GMT) for 10 hours of voting, with the archetypal results expected precocious Sunday night.

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Most polls amusement a virtual necktie betwixt three of the 5 contenders: erstwhile Defence Minister Rixi Moncada of the governing leftist Liberty and Refoundation (LIBRE) party; erstwhile Tegucigalpa Mayor Nasry Asfura of the right-wing National Party; and tv big Salvador Nasralla of the centrist Liberal Party.

The elections, successful which the 128 members of Congress, hundreds of mayors, and thousands of different nationalist officials volition besides beryllium chosen, are taking spot successful a highly polarised climate, with the 3 apical candidates accusing each different of plotting fraud. Moncada has suggested that she volition not recognise the authoritative results.

Incumbent President Xiomara Castro of the LIBRE enactment is constricted by instrumentality to 1 word successful office.

Honduras’s Attorney General’s Office, aligned with the ruling party, has accused the absorption parties of readying to perpetrate elector fraud, a assertion they deny.

Prosecutors person opened an probe into audio recordings that allegedly amusement a high-ranking National Party person discussing plans with an unidentified subject serviceman to power the election.

The alleged recordings, which the National Party says were created utilizing artificial intelligence, person go cardinal to Moncada’s campaign.

Public distrust

Political tensions person contributed to a increasing nationalist distrust of the electoral authorities and the electoral process successful general. There person besides been delays successful the proviso of voting materials.

“We are hoping that determination volition beryllium nary fraud and that the elections volition beryllium peaceful,” said Jennifer Lopez, a 22-year-old instrumentality pupil successful Tegucigalpa. “This would beryllium a immense measurement guardant for ideology successful our country.”

Amid the heated atmosphere, 6.5 cardinal Hondurans volition determine betwixt continuing with Castro’s left-wing societal and economical docket oregon shifting towards a blimpish docket by supporting the Liberal oregon National parties.

Castro, the archetypal pistillate to govern Honduras, has accrued nationalist concern and societal spending. The system has grown moderately, and poorness and inequality person decreased, though some stay high. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has praised her government’s prudent fiscal management.

The country’s homicide complaint has besides fallen to its lowest level successful caller history, but unit persists.

US stance

The Organization of American States has expressed concerns astir the electoral process, and the bulk of its members successful an bonzer league this week called for the authorities to behaviour elections escaped of intimidation, fraud and governmental interference.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau besides warned connected X that the United States volition respond “swiftly and decisively to anyone who undermines the integrity of the antiauthoritarian process successful Honduras”.

US President Donald Trump has backed Asfura, posting connected societal media that “if helium doesn’t win, the United States volition not beryllium throwing bully wealth aft bad”.

Honduras, wherever six retired of each 10 citizens unrecorded successful poverty, experienced a coup successful 2009 erstwhile an confederation of right-wing subject figures, politicians and businessmen overthrew Manuel Zelaya, the hubby of the existent president.

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