Nasry Asfura, a conservative politician of Palestinian descent who was backed by US President Donald Trump in a contentious election, will become the next leader of Honduras, the Central American country's electoral body said on Wednesday.
The result came after weeks of delay following the November 30 election that was beset by technical problems, delays and fraud allegations.
The electoral authority said Mr Asfura had won 40.3 per cent of the vote, edging out centre-right Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla who garnered 39.5 per cent. The candidate of the ruling Libre party, Rixi Moncada, came a distant third.
Mr Asfura is a 67-year-old politician and businessman who is the former mayor of the capital Tegucigalpa. He is a Palestinian Christian whose family moved to Honduras in the 1940s. Many Central and South American countries are home to large Arab and Palestinian communities. Mr Nasralla is also of Palestinian descent.
“Honduras: I am ready to govern. I will not let you down,” Mr Asfura said in a post on X following the confirmation of the results.
The head of the Honduran Congress rejected the declaration of a winner, describing it as an “electoral coup”.
“This is completely outside the law. It has no value,” Congress president Luis Redondo, of the ruling Libre party, wrote on X.
Mr Trump threw his support behind Mr Asfura, writing in a Truth Social post before the election that he was the “only real friend of Freedom in Honduras” and urging people to vote for him. Mr Trump also threatened to cut off US financial support to Honduras if Mr Asfura did not win and pardoned former President Juan Orlando Hernandez, also of Mr Asfura's National Party, who had been serving a 45-year sentence in the US on drug trafficking and weapons charges.
The US congratulated Mr Asfura, with Secretary of State saying he looked forward to working with his administration.
Amid delays in the count, Mr Trump weighed into the election again alleging fraud without providing evidence and saying there would be “hell to pay” if Honduras changed preliminary results that had put Mr Asfura ahead.
Mr Trump's backing of Mr Asfura, experts say, is part of his push to mould a conservative bloc across Latin America, stretching from Nayib Bukele in El Salvador to Javier Milei in Argentina.
Both Mr Nasralla and the Libre party have decried Mr Trump's comments as election meddling.
Mr Nasralla told Reuters that the last-minute interference from Trump had damaged his chances of winning.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
The past winners
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
