What Will Decide Honduras’ General Election This Year?

Q: Honduran voters on March 9 selected candidates for the country’s three dominant political parties to replace outgoing President Xiomara Castro in the general elections in November. Incumbent Defense Minister Rixi Moncada won the leftist Libre Party’s nomination; Castro’s former vice president, Salvador Nasralla, won the centrist Liberal Party’s nomination, and former Tegucigalpa Mayor Nasry Asfura won the right-wing National Party’s primary. What issues are likely to decide Honduras’ general election later this year? Which of the three leading candidates is best positioned ahead of the race? What’s at stake in this year’s election?

A:  Enrique Rodríguez Burchard, managing partner at Aguilar Castillo Love in Honduras: “Honduras’ primary elections were marred by significant ballot distribution issues, leading to delays that stretched well past midnight. The problems prompted accusations from the opposition, who quickly placed the blame on the armed forces, despite the military’s previously spotless record in electoral processes. Salvador Nasralla, elected as the candidate for the centrist Liberal Party, enters the race for a third time, following his previous support for the Zelaya family. Many analysts view him as the leading candidate among undecided voters, who represent the largest voting bloc. Rixi Moncada, the heir to the Zelaya political dynasty, is the candidate for the leftist Libre Party, leveraging her position of power in a country where the use of state resources for electoral advantage is commonplace. Libre’s members are known for their disciplined loyalty, consistently supporting their candidates without hesitation....

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