Honduras' Electoral Turmoil: U.S. Pushes for Transparent Ballot Count

The U.S. State Department urges Honduras' National Electoral Council to conduct a manual ballot recount following protests and allegations of electoral fraud. The contested election could potentially reverse Nasry Asfura's narrow lead over rival Salvador Nasralla. Protests have hindered the recount, with political tensions heightened by U.S. involvement.

The U.S. Department of State has called on Honduras' National Electoral Council to promptly initiate a manual ballot recount after allegations of fraud stalled last month's presidential election results. Protests and unrest have so far delayed the process, with the council citing discrepancies as the reason for excluding certain ballots.

Amid heightened tensions, the recalibration of these ballots could overturn Nasry Asfura's slim lead of 43,000 votes over Salvador Nasralla, out of more than 3 million ballots cast. The U.S. State Department warned against any disruptions to the council's efforts, stressing the need to respect the choice of 3.4 million voters.

Despite international observers expressing concern over the chaotic voting proceedings, they have not found conclusive evidence of systemic fraud. The electoral council must resolve the disputes and declare the election winner by December 30. Meanwhile, protests continue, with calls for a comprehensive recount and accusations of external interference, particularly from the U.S.

(With inputs from agencies.)