Nasry Asfura, a conservative businessman backed by US President Donald Trump, was declared winner of the Honduran presidential vote on Wednesday, weeks after a razor-thin election marred by delays and allegation of fraud.
Asfura, a 67-year-old son of Palestinian immigrants, defeated fellow conservative TV personality Salvador Nasralla, who had demanded a full recount due to alleged irregularities.
Asfura, who takes office on January 27, prevailed with just 40.1 percent of the vote, narrowly beating Nasralla at 39.5 percent, according to the official results.
Following the lengthy counting process in the Central American country’s election, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on all sides to “respect the confirmed results so that Honduran authorities may swiftly ensure a peaceful transition of authority.”
“We look forward to working with his incoming administration to advance our bilateral and regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen the economic ties between our two countries,” Rubio said in a statement. (AFP)
