Honduran presidential candidate asks for Trump's support as special vote scrutiny nears end

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - A presidential candidate in Honduras’ contentious November general elections sent a letter to US President Donald Trump late on Monday, requesting his support in a special vote scrutiny process and urging that all tally sheets with inconsistencies be recounted.

In the letter, the Liberal Party's Salvador Nasralla, who is trailing conservative candidate Nasry Asfura, stated that “the voice of President Trump matters in Honduras,” while calling on him to publicly demand that all tally sheets be included in the ongoing special scrutiny process.

According to Nasralla, 2,793 tally sheets with inconsistencies had initially been identified for review, but the National Electoral Council (CNE) reduced that number to 2,102, excluding 691 tally sheets.

This decision “implies the exclusion of thousands of disputed votes,” he said, adding: “This is not about favoring a candidate, but about guaranteeing that the will of the people is respected.”

With a deficit of over 30,000 votes, Nasralla is on the verge of losing the election to Asfura, the conservative candidate favored by Trump. Asfura, who led in the vote count, has faced strong accusations fraudulent means during the election on Nov. 30.

So far, 99.92% of ballots have been counted and the special scrutiny is near completion.

Days before the general election, Trump had already expressed support for Asfura and promised assistance to the Central American country if he won.

In his letter, Nasralla argued that the endorsement was based on incomplete information, adding that “such support has been used to legitimize a process that today lacks transparency and public trust.”

Additionally, the Liberal Party candidate distanced himself from his former alliance with the ruling party, openly rejecting any association with President Xiomara Castro and the Libre Party, while “reaffirming his historical opposition to communism.”

“Inaction can cause lasting damage to democracy, but a firm stance can lead to a fair and definitive outcome that reflects the true will of the Honduran people.

Regional stability and democratic integrity are at stake,” the letter concluded.