Trump administration restricts 2 Honduran election officials' visas over special vote count

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TEGUCIGALPA (AP) — The Trump administration restricted visas for two leftist Honduran election officials, citing interference in the Central American country’s special vote count.

The U.S. State Department said in a statement Friday it revoked the visa of Mario Morazán, a magistrate of the Electoral Justice Tribunal, and denied a visa application from Marlon Ochoa, a member of the National Electoral Council. Both belong to the leftist ruling LIBRE, or Liberty and Refoundation, party.

“The United States will not tolerate actions that undermine our national security and our region’s stability,” the statement said. “We will consider all appropriate measures to deter those impeding the vote count in Honduras.”

Nearly 20 days after the elections were held, Hondurans still do not know the results of the presidential race. Due to the narrow margin between the two leading candidates, electoral officials have carried out a special revision of 2,792 ballot boxes that show alleged inconsistencies and errors. Officials began the special vote count on Thursday after more than a week of the count being paralyzed.

With 99.85% of the vote counted so far, conservative candidate Nasry Asfura of the National Party — whom U.S. President Donald Trump had backed in the lead-up to the election, fueling accusations of election intervention by his opponents — is narrowly leading with 40.24% of the vote. Fellow conservative Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party followed with 39.64%.

In a distant third place is the ruling party’s candidate, Rixi Moncada of Liberty and Refoundation, with 19.12% of the vote. Moncada has not recognized the results.

This is the latest example of the Trump administration weighing in on Honduran affairs throughout the election. Over the past year in office, it has wielded its power in Latin America more aggressively than most U.S. governments in recent history. Trump has openly offered support and funds to right-wing allies, while applying punishing pressure to adversaries, often on the left.

Trump had also pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, sentenced last year to 45 years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation by a U.S. court.