Preliminary Election Results in Honduras: U.S. Interference Deepens Existing Tensions
December 2, 2025
On Sunday November 30th, Honduras held general elections. Despite concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, and some irregularities reported throughout the voting period, the election took place in a peaceful and orderly fashion, with elections observers reporting robust turnout. Since then, delays in vote counting, close numbers between the frontrunners, and continuing U.S. interference have characterized the post-electoral period, increasing tensions in the country. In response to the preliminary election results, the Calan Institute communicates our concern over the following:
Lack of confidence in the electoral process and US interference. In the months leading up to the election, political infighting in the National Electoral Council (CNE) and logistical and technical shortcomings undermined confidence in the election. Heightening distrust in the electoral process, were crosscutting fraud accusations, further fueled by a scandal in which one commissioner of the CNE was accused of participating in a Nationalist Party-led plot to interfere with the election.
To make things worse, in the days leading up to the election, U.S. President Trump publicly endorsed Nationalist Party candidate, Nasry “Tito” Asfura, in blatant violation of the principle of non-intervention. Rodolfo Pastor, former Secretary of the Presidency, has stated that it's likely that the pre-electoral intervention by the Trump administration–an administration which has already demonstrated its willingness to use economic and military force to punish and intimidate governments that it does not like–contributed to Asfura’s competitiveness vis-a-vis Nasralla. On December 1st, Trump added further fuel to the fire by openly threatening that “there will be hell to pay” if he doesn’t like the election results.
At present, tensions remain high as the system publicly transmitting the vote count suffers from technical problems, sustaining uncertainty about the integrity of the election results. CESPAD, Honduran coordinator of an international electoral observation mission, has stated that “the only valid result is that of the final general vote count—not that of the system transmitting the preliminary vote—and that all records must be counted, reviewed, and documented.”
Honduran social movements & human rights defenders are at heightened risk. Leading the electoral count for President is Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla and Nationalist Party candidate Tito Asfura, with the Libre Party candidate, Rixi Moncada trailing behind the frontrunners by a wide margin. Both Nasralla and Asfura represent political and economic interests that risk increasing violence against human rights defenders and are directly in opposition to long-standing struggles for social and economic transformation.
U.S. pardons notorious former narco-dictator of Honduras. On December 2nd, former President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernandez was pardoned by President Trump and released from federal prison where he was supposed to have served 45 years on a major drug trafficking conviction. This move destroys what little justice there was for Hernandez’s myriad of crimes. As President, Hernandez presided over one of the most violent periods in Honduran history, characterized by the violent repression of popular protest, the persecution of human rights defenders, and large-scale corruption scandals. Hernandez was backed by the U.S. government throughout his tenure.
The Calan Institute:
Stands with all the people, communities, and organizations who defend the dignity and well-being of Honduras’ peoples and the environment, regardless of who operates the power of the state.
Condemns all efforts that have compromised the people’s right to decide their political future through free and fair elections. We especially condemn the interventions made by the Trump administration which clearly respond to criminally-linked political and economic elements.
Vehemently condemns the pardoning of former President Juan Orlando Hernandez and supports continuing efforts to secure justice for all the crimes committed during his regime.