Washington’s high diplomat says he thanked Asfura, who was backed by Trump, for ‘advocacy of US strategic goals’.
Printed On 26 Dec 2025
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has congratulated Honduran President-elect Nasry Asfura, whom President Donald Trump had endorsed, for his victory within the Central American nation’s contentious election.
The Division of State stated on Friday that Rubio and Asfura in a cellphone name mentioned collaboration on points comparable to commerce and safety.
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“Secretary Rubio recommended President-Elect Asfura for his advocacy of US strategic goals, together with advancing our bilateral and regional safety cooperation, and strengthening financial ties between our two nations,” the State Division stated in a statement.
Asfura claimed a slender victory on Wednesday in the November 30 election marked by Trump’s intervention on his behalf. Election authorities declared Asfura the winner after weeks of counting amid high tensions and allegations of fraud and impropriety from different candidates.
The suitable-wing Asfura, representing the Nationwide Get together, edged out Salvador Nasralla of the centre-right Liberal Get together with 40.27 p.c of the vote to Nasralla’s 39.53 p.c.
“Right this moment, with deep gratitude, I settle for the honour of with the ability to give you the results you want. I prolong my hand so we will stroll along with willpower to work tirelessly for Honduras. I cannot fail you,” Asfura stated in a video assertion launched on Wednesday evening.
Each Nasralla and Rixi Moncada, the candidate for present President Xiomara Castro’s left-leaning LIBRE Get together, who got here in a distant third, have disputed the outcomes of the election.
Nasralla stated on Wednesday that election authorities had “betrayed the Honduran individuals”. He additionally took purpose at Trump, who stated earlier than the election {that a} victory for anybody however Asfura would put US economic ties with Honduras in danger.
“Mr President, your endorsed candidate in Honduras is complicit in silencing the votes of our residents,” Nasralla stated in a social media put up. “If he’s really worthy of your backing, if his fingers are clear, if he has nothing to concern, then why doesn’t he enable for each vote to be counted?”
Honduras has skilled a number of contested elections since a US-backed coup in 2009. Protests over the November election have to date remained peaceable.
Earlier than the election, Trump additionally issued a criticised pardon for right-wing former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was convicted of crimes linked to the trafficking of medicine to the US throughout his time in workplace.
The pardon got here because the US says it’s shifting its international coverage focus to the Americas.
Asfura, the previous mayor of Honduras’s capital, Tegucigalpa, is of Palestinian descent. However his Nationwide Get together is staunchly pro-Israel.
Below Hernandez in 2021, Honduras grew to become solely the fourth nation to maneuver its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in breach of worldwide regulation.
Asfura has additionally aligned himself with Trump and different right-wing leaders within the Americas, together with Argentina’s Javier Milei.
