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Honduras Elections Plunged into Dispute as Fraud Claims Trigger Protests and Counting Delays
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A deepening crisis is unfolding in Honduras as internal divisions within the National Electoral council (CNE) and allegations of “fraud” by the ruling party threaten to undermine the legitimacy of the November 30th general elections. The highly anticipated special scrutiny of electoral records with inconsistencies has been repeatedly delayed, fueling discontent and prompting calls for protests.
Internal Strife Paralyzes Electoral Body
The Honduran electoral body is grappling with meaningful internal conflict,with advisors accusing each other of obstructing the review of at least 2,773 electoral records flagged with inconsistencies. The disagreements center on whether to conduct a full vote-by-vote count, a demand made by both the ruling party and the Liberal Party.
“If the CNE is not willing to verify everything, it is indeed not in a position to ask the people to blindly trust the result,” stated a senior official within the electoral council.
The president advisor, Ana Paola Hall, representing the Liberal Party, and Cossette López, representing the National Party, have publicly accused marlon Ochoa, of the ruling Free Party, of intentionally delaying the scrutiny process by withholding his endorsement. Ochoa, in turn, alleges that Hall and López are attempting to push through the special scrutiny without a comprehensive vote-by-vote audit. Adding to the complications are administrative hurdles, a lack of accreditation for some parties, and unresolved technical issues, contributing to the ongoing delays. The scrutiny was initially scheduled for Saturday and then postponed to Sunday at 07:00 local time.
Ruling party Mobilizes Protests Amidst Unofficial Results
the absence of official results has sparked widespread frustration, replacing the initial enthusiasm following the November 30th vote, in which over three million Hondurans participated. Despite calls from the ruling Free Party for street protests in response to alleged “fraud,” no violence has been reported thus far.
On Saturday, both the official candidate, Rixi Moncada, and former president Manuel Zelaya, leading the Libre party, urged their supporters to demonstrate in support of candidates demanding the annulment of the elections, which they claim were fraudulent. Following an emergency meeting, Libre announced on Sunday that it would not recognise any government emerging from these elections, alleging interference from the United States due to former President trump’s support for conservative candidate Nasry Asfura.
Vote Counting Resumes, But Concerns Remain
Regular vote counting in the November 30th Honduran elections resumed on Sunday after a five-day pause, even as the special scrutiny of inconsistent minutes remains stalled. The special scrutiny operates independently from the ongoing vote count that determines the preliminary results.
As of the latest count, with 99.80% of the minutes tallied, Nasry ‘Tito’ Asfura, of the National Party, maintains a narrow lead with 1,305,033 votes (40.54%). He is closely followed by Salvador Nasralla, of the Liberal Party, who has secured 1,261,849 ballots (39.19%). The resumption of the preliminary vote count has been hampered by technical failures within the reporting system, drawing criticism from political parties, international observers, and civil society groups.
The CNE has a 30-day window following the elections to announce the final results,which will determine the successor to President Xiomara Castro,along with the selection of three presidential appointees,298 mayors,128 national deputies,and 20 representatives to the Central American Parliament
