Overview
- Asfura, a Trump-backed National Party candidate, was announced the winner with roughly 40.27–40.3% of the vote, finishing less than one percentage point ahead of Salvador Nasralla.
- Electoral authorities took more than three weeks to settle the result after system outages and a chaotic process that required hand-counting about 15% of tally sheets.
- The declaration was issued by two of the three members of the National Electoral Council; the councillor aligned with the ruling party refused to recognize it, and the congressional leader called it an “electoral coup.”
- Nasralla rejected the outcome and sought a full recount, while urging supporters to avoid confrontation, as international observers flagged concerns about unresolved inconsistencies.
- Washington congratulated Asfura, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging respect for the confirmed results, following weeks in which President Trump endorsed Asfura, threatened aid consequences, and pardoned ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández.