trump Signals Support for Honduran Candidate,Promises Pardon for Former president
TEGUCIGALPA,HONDURAS – Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced his support for Honduran presidential candidate Tito Asfura of the National Party and signaled he would pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández should Asfura win the upcoming election, just two days before Hondurans head to the polls.The unexpected intervention injects further volatility into a closely contested race already shadowed by concerns over democratic integrity and regional security.
The declaration, delivered via video link, represents a meaningful endorsement with potentially far-reaching consequences for Honduras and the broader Central American region. Trump framed the election as a battle against ”narco-communists,” alleging that current regional trends mirror the alleged influence of the maduro regime in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. He specifically criticized presidential candidates Xiomara Castro, whom he said idolizes Fidel Castro, and Nasralla, labeling him an unreliable ally and a tool of the ruling party to fracture the opposition.
“Tito and I can work together to combat the narco-communists and provide the necessary help to the Honduran people,” Trump stated. he further asserted that a victory for Asfura would be a win for democracy and a bulwark against the spread of what he described as a perilous ideology.
The promise of a pardon for Hernández, who left office in January 2022 and has faced allegations of corruption and ties to drug trafficking, is notably controversial. Trump did not detail the specifics of a potential pardon, but the gesture is widely seen as a direct attempt to influence the election outcome. Hernández has consistently denied the allegations against him.
The timing of TrumpS announcement, so close to the election, has drawn criticism from political analysts who argue it could undermine the legitimacy of the vote. Concerns about electoral fraud and violence have already been raised by international observers.the outcome of the election will likely shape Honduras’s relationship with the United States and its approach to tackling issues such as drug trafficking, migration, and economic growth.
