Tue Dec 02 22:47:45 UTC 2025: Honduran Election Council Member Accuses Colleague of Sabotaging Vote Count Amid Tense Presidential Race

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Tensions are escalating in Honduras as the country awaits the final results of Sunday’s presidential election. Cossette Lopez-Osorio, a member of the National Electoral Council (CNE) representing the right-wing National Party, has accused her colleague Marlon Ochoa, who represents the left-leaning LIBRE party, of attempting to disrupt a news conference intended to provide updates on the vote count.

Lopez-Osorio alleged in a social media post that Ochoa sent LIBRE party members and staff to “storm” the Hotel Plaza Juan Carlos, where the press conference was being held, engaging in “acts of intimidation” to prevent the event from taking place.

The accusations come as the presidential race remains incredibly tight, with Salvador Nasralla of the centre-right Liberal Party narrowly leading Nasry “Tito” Asfura of the National Party. Rixi Moncada of the LIBRE party, initially considered a frontrunner, has fallen behind. Roughly 20% of the votes remain to be tallied.

This latest incident underscores ongoing controversies surrounding the CNE, which has been plagued by accusations of malpractice from all three major parties. Lopez-Osorio and Ochoa have a history of conflict. In October, Ochoa filed a complaint accusing Lopez-Osorio of conspiring with the military to influence the election, a claim she denies.

The CNE’s handling of the election has been further complicated by technical issues, including website crashes and transmission problems. While Lopez-Osorio attributed these to technical failures, anxieties about electoral interference and fraud remain high.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has already weighed in, echoing fraud claims and warning of consequences if the election results are altered. Moncada has also indicated she will challenge the results, denouncing Trump’s intervention and claiming the initial results validated an earlier audio leak suggesting electoral manipulation. The political climate remains charged, with all parties urging vigilance as the final votes are counted.

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