The political atmosphere in Honduras has grown increasingly tense as the country’s presidential election remains undecided, with the National Electoral Council (CNE) announcing a manual recount after a partial digital tally showed a “technical tie.” The razor-thin margin and technical troubles have prompted a strong reaction from United States President Donald Trump, who has openly backed right-wing candidate Nasry Asfura.

CNE Launches Manual Recount After Tight Race

On Tuesday, Honduras’s CNE urged citizens to remain calm as it began manually verifying ballots cast in the November 30, 2025 election. Earlier, the digital vote count—complicated by glitches on the results website—showed Asfura leading by just 515 votes over centrist rival Salvador Nasralla, with 57% of ballots counted.

CNE president Ana Paola Hall described the situation as extremely close:

“In the face of this technical tie, we must remain patient and allow the CNE to complete the process.”

She confirmed that after the general tally is finished, a special counting process will verify the final results.

Trump Accuses Honduras of ‘Trying to Change’ the Results

President Trump responded to the vote tally with a forceful social-media tirade late Monday, accusing Honduran officials of deliberately stalling the count. He claimed, without providing details, that the CNE had “abruptly stopped counting,” and warned that altering the outcome would have consequences.

His post on Truth Social stated:

“Looks like Honduras is trying to change the results of their Presidential Election. If they do, there will be hell to pay!”

The comments added pressure to an already sensitive election, especially given Trump’s earlier warnings that U.S. aid to Honduras could be cut if his preferred candidate, Asfura, did not win.

Asfura vs Nasralla: Competing Claims as Count Continues

As the race tightened, both campaigns expressed confidence. Asfura, the National Party’s candidate and former mayor of Tegucigalpa, was slightly ahead in the CNE’s official tally.

Meanwhile, Nasralla—a centrist candidate and former television presenter—posted on X that his campaign’s internal projections showed him in the lead with 44.6% of the vote. He clarified that he was not declaring victory, only sharing internal numbers, but the National Party criticized the announcement for potentially influencing public perception before final results are certified.

Trump’s Influence and Regional Political Ties

Trump’s outspoken endorsement of Asfura played a major role in the election, mirroring his recent political involvement abroad. In October, he made similar comments during Argentina’s legislative elections, threatening reduced cooperation if President Javier Milei’s party did not prevail. Milei’s party later secured more than 40% of the vote.

During the Honduran campaign, Trump praised Asfura as a partner in combating drug trafficking as part of his administration’s security agenda. He added further controversy by announcing plans to pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who is currently serving a 45-year sentence in the U.S. for drug trafficking and firearms offenses.

Hernández was the last National Party leader to serve as president before left-leaning administrations began dominating Honduran politics.

Setback for Ruling Left Wing

Regardless of whether Asfura or Nasralla emerges victorious, the election represents a major setback for Honduras’s ruling left-wing movement. Their candidate, Rixi Moncada, trailed in third place with just 19%, far behind the two frontrunners.

The CNE has not given a final timeline, but the manual recount is expected to continue until all ballots are reviewed.