TEGUCIGALPA (AP) — The National Electoral Council announced on Wednesday that conservative Nasry Asfura, backed by US President Donald Trump, won the November 30 presidential elections in Honduras by defeating Salvador Nasralla with 40.27% of the votes, after a delayed scrutiny that generated tensions in the Central American country.

The highest electoral body made the announcement after having completed the slow special scrutiny of 2,792 minutes. which had started last week due to alleged inconsistencies and errors. “Tito” Asfura, candidate of the National Party, won in his second attempt for the presidency over Nasralla, of the also conservative Liberal Party, who obtained 39.53% of the votes.

The results are a severe setback for the ruling left-wing party Libertad y Refundación (Libre), whose candidate Rixi Moncada obtained 19.19% support, and represent the return of the right to power, which last governed under President Juan Orlando Hernandez (2014-2022).

Asfura, 67, published a recorded message on social networks in which he called for the unity and peace of the Honduran people.

"We must recognize ourselves as what we are, a single Honduran family. Today with deep gratitude and assuming the honor of being able to serve you, I extend my hand to you to walk together with firm determination to work tirelessly for Honduras. I will not fail you," he expressed.

After the announcement, the leaders of the National Party celebrated in their bunker, waving the flag of that force, while shouting in unison: “daddy, daddy, daddy…”, which is how they call their candidate.

Nasralla stated that he did not accept the CNE declaration, because he considers that the people's vote was not respected.

“What is happening today in Honduras is the same as what happened in Venezuela, imposing to a leader,” he expressed.

He added that he will continue fighting at the national and international level to prove that fraud was committed against him.

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State of the United States, highlighted the victory in X, pointing out that "the people of Honduras have spoken: Nasry Asfura is the next president of Honduras." The official noted that his country “looks forward to working with your administration to promote prosperity and security in our hemisphere.”

For his part, Argentine President Javier Milei also celebrated the victory of the conservative Honduran politician. "Tito Asfura's victory is a resounding defeat of narco-socialism and a clear sign that freedom is once again imposed in Honduras. The Honduran people expressed themselves bravely at the polls and chose to end years of authoritarianism and decadence."

Likewise, the General Secretariat of the OAS expressed its "willingness to collaborate with the State of Honduras to support a peaceful transfer of power in accordance with the law."

The organization said it was aware of the difficulties that it faced. went through the process, but recognized the work of the Honduran institutions.

Likewise, he regretted that the total count of the votes cast by citizens has not yet been completed.

"The OAS is closely following the events in Honduras, in particular through its Electoral Observation Mission deployed in the country. In this context, it takes note of the declaration of results of the National Electoral Council," he declared in 1%.

The outcome of the complicated Honduran presidential elections is part of a broader shift to the right that is taking place in Latin America, and takes place just over a week after Chile elected the far-right José Antonio Kast as president.

Nasralla denounced alleged irregularities in the process, while Moncada refused to recognize the results. The outgoing president of the Central American country, Xiomara Castro, initially reproached the interference of the United States government in the election, but later promised that her government would respect the official declaration of the winner by the highest electoral body.

Trump endorsed the conservative a few days before the elections, stating that he was the only Honduran candidate with whom the US government would be willing to work.

The United States decided on Friday to restrict the visas of two Honduran officials for what it considered interference in the election vote count.

In a statement, the US State Department reported that it revoked the visa of Mario Morazán, a judge at the Court of Justice. Electoral Justice, and rejected the visa request of Marlon Ochoa, advisor to the National Electoral Council. Both belong to the Libre party.

Asfura, who served as mayor of Tegucigalpa for two consecutive periods (2014-2018 and 2018-2022), had been defeated in the previous 2021 elections by Castro, the wife of the ousted leftist president Manuel Zelaya (2006-2009).

Although he did not land on concrete proposals - something that was also criticized by others. contenders in the campaign—Asfura presented himself as a successful businessman in the construction industry and with experience in public management after his time as mayor of the capital.

“I am a man of work, not of promises, and I know what I have to do,” said the candidate, married and father of three daughters.

In his speeches he spoke of building a prosperous country through investment and job creation.

At the same time he briefly raised the need to recover security with a model of prevention, justice and order. “We will have community police, we will strengthen criminal investigation and we will use technology to combat extortion and organized crime.”

Asfura would work with Trump on immigration, security and trade issues. In fact, the US president anticipated that with Asfura he could collaborate to combat what he called "narco-communists" in the region and help Honduras, the poorest country in Central America.

Trump announced two days before the vote the pardon of former President Hernández, of the same political affiliation as Asfura, and who had been extradited and sentenced in the United States to 45 years in prison for drug trafficking in 2024. Hernández was released on December 1.