Honduras: Election result anticipated December 1; protests expected /update 11

Event

Honduras’ electoral commission - Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE) – has announced that the result of the presidential election is likely to be released around 21:00 (local time) on Friday, December 1, as a manual recount is completed. Opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla has warned that if incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernández is declared winner, that “there will be a civil war.” Protests have been ongoing throughout Honduras since Wednesday, November 29. At least one person has died and 200 people have been wounded in violent clashes between opposition protesters and police. Reports of vandalism and looting are widespread, particularly in urban areas. Additional protests, political violence, and associated transportation disruptions are expected in the coming days throughout Honduras, and particularly in Tegucigalpa, amid the impending election results announcement.

Context

The TSE has been criticized by international observers for a lack of transparency amid the ongoing vote counting process, which is taking longer than expected. Nasralla has claimed that the TSE has manipulated the election tally in President Hernández's favor in recent days. As of Friday evening, President Hernández narrowly leads Nasralla in the vote count with over 94 percent of votes tallied.

The campaign period was also marked by high sociopolitical tensions, with President Hernández's re-election bid denounced as illegal by the political opposition. At least one segment of the opposition has already announced it would not accept the results should Hernández be re-elected.

Advice

Individuals in Honduras are advised to monitor developments to the situation and to strictly avoid all demonstrations.

Visitors to the country should note that political activism by foreign nationals is prohibited under Honduran law. Foreigners who take part in demonstrations or other political activities risk detention and or/deportation.