Conservative frontrunner Nasry Asfura, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, has taken an early lead in Honduras’ presidential election with about 34% of votes counted. Preliminary results from the National Electoral Council show the National Party candidate ahead in a tight race, positioning the 67-year-old former Tegucigalpa mayor as the favorite to return the right-wing party to power.
Trump has openly endorsed Asfura, casting him as Washington’s preferred partner in Central America and pledging close cooperation on migration and anti-drug efforts if he wins. Just days before the vote, Trump also stunned Hondurans by promising to pardon former president Juan Orlando Hernández, a fellow National Party figure now serving a 45-year sentence in a U.S. prison for drug trafficking and weapons offenses.
Asfura’s rise has revived debate over the National Party’s legacy, after Hernández’s 2014–2022 administration was marred by allegations of corruption and collusion with narcotraffickers that culminated in his conviction in the United States. Opponents warn that Asfura’s victory could entrench existing power networks, while his supporters argue he represents a more pragmatic, business-friendly face for a country struggling with poverty, violence, and mass emigration.
