Trump Derangement Syndrome in Honduras

Summary:

Honduras’ leftist President Xiomara Castro claims the recent election was stolen due to alleged interference by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who supported conservative candidate Nasry ‘Tito’ Asfura. The National Party candidate leads while Castro’s Libre party trails in third place. Castro vows to challenge results through international bodies, echoing similar rhetoric to Venezuela’s political crisis. Honduran voters appear to have rejected leftist policies amid concerns about regional instability.

What This Means for You:

• Geopolitical Awareness: Honduras’ election reflects growing U.S. influence in Central American politics and potential shifts in regional alliances
• Investment Climate: Conservative victory may signal improved stability for foreign investors in Honduran markets
• Migration Patterns: Political outcomes could impact future Central American migration flows to the U.S.
• Warning: Potential for prolonged political unrest if opposition refuses to concede peacefully

Original Post:

The left lost bigly in Honduras. In fact, it was so big that the leftist incumbent President Castro is claiming that the election was stolen. Who stole it? Well, she is not saying, except claiming that President Trump (who else?) meddled in the election. Who knew that Trump Derangement Syndrome is alive and well in Honduras. Unfortunately, it is. Here is the story:

Leftist President Xiomara Castro on Tuesday broke her silence over Honduras’s disputed election, declaring the vote ‘null’ after alleged ‘meddling’ by US President Donald Trump in favour of the conservative candidate.

Nasry ‘Tito’ Asfura, the Trump-backed candidate from the National party, was narrowly ahead of his Liberal party rival Salvador Nasralla with Castro’s Libre trailing in a distant third place, as counting neared completion more than a week after the chaotic November 30 vote.

Days before the vote, Trump had also pardoned former conservative president Juan Orlando Hernández of the National party, who was serving 45 years in a US jail for drug trafficking.

Trump had said ‘narcoterrorists’ would take over Honduras if Libre was reelected and threatened to cut off aid unless Asfura won.

But Libre has refused to accept the result. Castro said an ‘electoral coup’ was under way, which she would denounce to the UN, EU, Organization of American States and other international bodies.

‘I condemn the meddling of US President Donald Trump when he threatened the Honduran people that if they voted for the brave and patriotic Libre candidate, Rixi Moncada, there would be consequences,’ she told a rally.

‘You do not negotiate sovereignty. You do not hand over democracy,’ said Castro, whose husband, former president Manuel Zelaya, was ousted in a military coup in 2009.

To be fair, no one in Honduras cared about Trump’s threats. They voted down the left in big numbers anyway. What I remember was that the leading candidates were saying that they didn’t want Honduras to go the Venezuela route.

So far, the U.S. has denied involvement, or “meddling” that impacted the election results. It’s hard to argue fraud when your candidate gets only 20% of the vote, but anything is possible with these people. Just look at Maduro and Venezuela.

My guess is that the left will reluctantly accept the loss and move on. However, they are going to make a lot of noise and blame Trump. I think that the Honduras people know the truth and the left will be out of power soon.

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Image: Public domain

Extra Information:

• U.S. State Department Honduras Relations – Official context for bilateral relations
• CFR Honduras Profile – Expert analysis of political dynamics
• EIU Election Report – Economic implications of election results

People Also Ask About:

• How does Honduras’ election affect U.S. immigration policy? Political stability may reduce push factors for migration northward.
• What are the economic consequences of this election? Markets typically respond positively to conservative victories in the region.
• Is there evidence of actual election interference? Current claims appear to be political rhetoric without substantiated proof.
• How does this compare to Venezuela’s political situation? Honduras shows democratic resilience compared to Venezuela’s authoritarian trajectory.

Expert Opinion:

This election represents a critical inflection point for Central American democracy. While allegations of interference merit monitoring, the decisive voter rejection of leftist policies suggests growing regional awareness of Venezuela-style governance risks. The peaceful transition of power – if achieved – could reinforce democratic norms in a historically unstable region.

Key Terms:

• Honduras election 2023 political analysis
• U.S. influence in Central American elections
• Xiomara Castro election fraud claims
• Conservative shift in Honduran politics
• Geopolitical implications of Honduras election