Honduras Election Recount: A Nation on Edge

Honduras is set to begin a special recount to address irregularities in the presidential election. Despite nearly all ballots being counted, discrepancies still exist in roughly 15% of tally sheets. As tensions rise, accusations of fraud and international interference compound the nation's political uncertainty.

The Honduran presidential election, marred by irregularities, will soon see a special recount, possibly starting Friday, according to election official Cossette Lopez-Osorio. As the fallout from the unresolved Nov. 30 election persists, the nation finds itself engulfed in a political quagmire.

Following 12 days since the election, conservative candidate Nasry Asfura leads by a slim margin of 42,000 votes over Liberal Party's Salvador Nasralla. Complicating matters, LIBRE's Rixi Moncada ranks a distant third. However, discrepancies in 2,773 tally sheets necessitate further scrutiny, as these votes could potentially alter the election result.

Tensions have escalated following accusations of electoral manipulation, with a congressional panel condemning the situation as an 'electoral coup' and blaming U.S. President Donald Trump for meddling. In response, Washington has committed to vigilant monitoring and swift action regarding any irregularities. Compounding the issues, Trump controversially pardoned former President Juan Orlando Hernandez shortly before the election, after his sentencing in the U.S. for serious criminal offenses.

(With inputs from agencies.)