TEGUCIGALPA — Honduras' National Electoral Council (CNE) began a special scrutiny process on Thursday, December 18, 2025, examining thousands of ballots flagged for inconsistencies more than two weeks after the November 30 general elections. The manual review, focusing initially on around 2,792 problematic tally sheets, comes amid a prolonged crisis marked by technical failures, fraud allegations, and international scrutiny, with conservative candidate Nasry Asfura maintaining a narrow lead over centrist rival Salvador Nasralla.
Asfura of the National Party, endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump, holds approximately 40.5% of the vote, with Nasralla trailing closely at around 39.2%, based on preliminary counts exceeding 99% of ballots processed. Ruling Libre Party candidate Rixi Moncada remains in third with about 19-20%. The tight margin—often less than 1-2 percentage points or tens of thousands of votes—has fueled disputes, with excluded or inconsistent ballots potentially decisive.
The CNE initiated the scrutiny despite earlier delays caused by protests blocking access to facilities. Officials blame system crashes and irregularities for excluding up to 15% of tally sheets, representing hundreds of thousands of votes. The process, audited by party representatives and observers, aims to resolve discrepancies before declaring a winner, with a legal deadline of December 30.
Nasralla has demanded a broader recount, claiming up to 8,084 inconsistent ballots require review. In a statement on X, he urged CNE members—nominated by political parties—to authorize the full examination, warning that failure would face historical judgment from millions of opposition Hondurans.
Outgoing President Xiomara Castro has shifted tone, vowing to respect the recount outcome and ensure a peaceful transition to "maintain peace," after earlier denouncing an "electoral coup" and alleging U.S. interference. Castro's Libre Party and Moncada initially refused to recognize results, citing flaws in the vote transmission system.
Trump's pre-election endorsement of Asfura, threats to cut aid if he lost, and pardon of former National Party president Juan Orlando Hernández (convicted of drug trafficking in the U.S.) have amplified accusations of foreign meddling.
The elections plunged Honduras into crisis from day one, with the CNE website crashing, results pausing repeatedly, and candidates claiming victory based on parallel counts. International observers from the EU and OAS have urged patience without evidence of systematic fraud, while domestic tensions persist.
As scrutiny proceeds, security remains heightened around electoral facilities. The winner assumes office on January 27, 2026, amid hopes for stability in a nation grappling with poverty, violence, and migration pressures.
This prolonged process echoes past disputed elections in Honduras, testing institutional credibility and democratic resilience.
