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8mo ago

Honduras Begins Special Hand Recount After Weeks of Delays

The hand review of 2,792 flagged tally sheets could flip the razor-thin Asfura–Nasralla margin before a Dec. 30 certification deadline.

Supporters of the Liberty and Refoundation party protest in front of the presidential palace in support of Honduran President Xiomara Castro in what she called an "electoral coup" unfolding amid a chaotic recount of votes from the November 30 presidential election, marked by technical glitches, allegations of fraud, and the shadow of US President Donald Trump, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras December 17, 2025. The banner reads: "No to the electoral boycott." REUTERS/Leonel Estrada/File Photo
Staff members of presidential candidate Nasry Asfura of Honduras' National Party participate in the recount of electoral records two weeks after the presidential election, as voting remains stalled amid uncounted ballots, accusations of fraud and electoral system failures, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, December 17, 2025. REUTERS/Leonel Estrada
An electoral worker hands out voting material as residents vote a week late in a special election after the local governing party kept voting closed on election day, amid accusations of sabotage and fraud, in a presidential race still too close to call as counting continues, in San Antonio de Flores, Honduras, December 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leonel Estrada/ File Photo
Supporters of the party LIBRE, Liberty and Refoundation, protest the general election results in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Overview

  • The National Electoral Council launched a manual review of roughly 2,792 tally sheets, about 15% of the vote, in the presence of national and international observers.
  • Preliminary tallies show Nasry Asfura at about 40.5% with a lead of roughly 43,000 votes over Salvador Nasralla at about 39.3%, with LIBRE’s Rixi Moncada far behind.
  • Protests led by the ruling LIBRE party had blocked access to election facilities and delayed the process, while calls for a full vote-by-vote recount were rejected as lacking legal basis.
  • The U.S. State Department pressed for the count to proceed and warned against disruptions, as President Donald Trump publicly backed Asfura, intensifying accusations of interference.
  • Electoral law requires certification by Dec. 30 or potential congressional intervention, and the armed forces chief pledged to respect the official result.