(MENAFN) Conservative candidate Nasry Asfura commanded Honduras' presidential race on Sunday, based on preliminary tallies disclosed by the Central American nation's electoral authority.

With 6,559 of 19,152 tally sheets tabulated — representing 34.25 percent of the total — the National Electoral Council (CNE) confirmed that Asfura, leader of the National Party of Honduras and a publicly endorsed candidate by the US, was leading in the rapid count.

The initial findings position leftist Rixi Moncada of the ruling Libertad Party in third place with 255,972 votes, behind Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party with 506,316 votes and Asfura with 530,077.

Asfura's preliminary advantage signaled the conclusion of the 2025 elections. The businessman of Palestinian descent received strong backing from the US, with President Donald Trump pledging resources and support for Honduras if Asfura won.

Results publication experienced a one-hour postponement due to delayed poll closures, originally slated for 5 p.m. local time (2300GMT). During the holdup, Asfura publicly pressed CNE President Ana Paola Hall to release the preliminary count, insisting that both his party's tally and internal CNE data showed him ahead.

"In the tally sheets we are above; in CNE data, we are above; and in our own numbers, we are even higher," Asfura told reporters and supporters.

LIBRE Party candidate Moncada adopted a measured stance, announcing on social media that she would refrain from commenting until the CNE released all of the presidential, mayoral, and congressional tallies in the general elections.

"Grateful to the LIBRE Party and our people who massively came out to vote for my proposal for economic and democratic reform," she wrote on US social media company X. "I ask you to remain strong until we have the final results … Tomorrow, in a press conference, I will share my political position regarding the CNE's presidential results."

CNE President Hall underscored that the institution's responsibility is exclusively to release partial results as they are processed. She thanked Hondurans for their patience during what she described as a high-turnout democratic process, with more than 2.8 million voters casting their ballots.

Final official results are anticipated on Monday. The president-elect will assume office on Jan. 27, 2026, succeeding outgoing President Xiomara Castro.

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