Description: The presidential election in Honduras delivered highly contested preliminary results with two conservative candidates still bidding to become the country’s next president. Nasry Asfura, from the National Party held a slight lead ahead of Salvador Nasralla, from the conservative Liberal Party. Asfura was overtly endorsed by US President Trump who publicly supported his candidacy for president and stated that Asfura would enable the US and Honduras to closely cooperate in countering illegal drug trafficking in the Caribbean. Trump also criticized the other two candidates by stating that they would put Honduras on the same path as Venezuela and if elected, the US would cease to send financial aid to the country. The Hondurans would also elect members of the country’s Congress and would also vote for hundreds of other local government positions. Crime rates and unemployment were the main concerns in the country, which has been struggling with economic instability, primarily caused by gang violence and murders.
Impact: President Trump’s interceding in the Honduras election emphasizes the priorities of the current US administration to drag the South American continent back into its orbit of influence and away from rivaling and adversarial partners such as China and Russia. The election also highlights the conservative political trend, with more countries leaning towards right – wing candidates and political parties while abandoning historically left – leaning government administrations. By endorsing Asfura, Trump is also attempting to cripple one of Venezuela’s crucial regional partners in the current Honduran administration as the US continues to raise the pressure on Maduro’s regime. The next administration would be heavily pressured to resist foreign influence, especially from US rivals such as China and Russia and would most probably devise closer relations with the US which in turn could deescalate regional tensions between the US and Venezuela.