Over six million Hondurans are called to vote this Sunday in general elections to decide whether the ruling party Libertad y Refundación (Libre, left) or the conservative National and Liberal parties will return to power. The country, hit by poverty, corruption, and insecurity, is electing a new president who will succeed Xiomara Castro on January 27, 2026. In addition to the president, citizens will vote for three vice-presidents, 298 mayors, 128 deputies to the national parliament, and 20 deputies to the Central American Parliament. The main candidates are Rixi Moncada from Libre, Nasry Asfura from the National Party, and Salvador Nasralla from the Liberal Party. International organizations such as the UN, OAS, and the EU have called on the authorities to guarantee the independence and effectiveness of the electoral body and for the process to be conducted with full freedom and transparency. The elections are taking place against a backdrop of growing discontent due to poverty, unemployment, corruption, and insecurity, which has eroded trust in the political class. These are the twelfth elections since the return to constitutional order in 1980, and they are being held under a state of emergency in effect since December 2022, which has drawn criticism. The transparency of the process has been questioned with fraud allegations between the ruling party and the opposition, as well as the alleged interference of the prosecutor's office in opening investigations against high electoral authorities and the possible involvement of the Armed Forces. The climate leading up to the election day has been marked by tensions, doubts about the process's transparency, and the risk of violence.
"The traditional National and Liberal parties, both with over a century of history and experience in public management, are trying to regain the presidency and parliamentary representation, presenting themselves as an alternative to the public discontent caused by the economic situation, insecurity, and problems with governability."
