Honduras’ primary elections on Sunday set the stage for the November general election, with three candidates emerging as frontrunners for their parties.
Honduras’ Defence Minister Rixi Moncada, backed by President Xiomara Castro, is leading the LIBRE party’s primary with over 90% of the votes counted so far.
Salvador Nasralla, former vice president under Castro, is leading the Liberal party with nearly 60% of the party’s votes. He previously supported Castro’s 2021 election bid but left her administration, citing marginalisation.
Meanwhile, former mayor of Tegucigalpa, Nasry Asfura, is leading the National party with 76% of the votes, well ahead of former first lady Ana García. Her husband, ex-President Juan Orlando Hernández, is serving a 45-year prison sentence in the US for drug trafficking.
Sunday’s primary was plagued by logistical issues, with some voting centres opening late, prompting frustrated voters to burn tires in protest. Despite the issues, the election marked a critical step in Honduras’ democratic process, with the general election scheduled for November 30.
The primary elections come at a time of strained relations between Honduras and the United States. President Castro, Honduras’ first female leader, has previously threatened to end US access to a key air base and withdraw from an extradition treaty that led to her predecessor’s imprisonment in the US.
Although she backtracked on the threats, her administration has faced scrutiny over alleged ties to drug trafficking within her extended family.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio notably excluded Honduras from his recent Central America tour, underscoring the tense bilateral relationship.
The leading candidates—Moncada, Nasralla, and Asfura—will now focus on consolidating support and presenting their visions for the country’s future.
