'We depend too much on US' - Locals react to Trump 'interference' as presidential race narrows, counting continues

"Honduran citizens expressed their opinions after the elections in Tegugalpa on Monday, while questioning the support that National Party candidate Nasry Asfura has received from the president of the United States, Donald Trump. Although there is still no official winner, many of the voters claimed the victory of Nasry Asfura, also known as 'Papi a la orden' ('Daddy at your service', in spanish). "'Papi a la orden' is the new leader and the new president of Honduras," stated Ricardo, a journalist who stressed the United States' influence during the elections, after Donald Trump openly expressed his support for Asfura. Last Friday, Trump posted on his social network Truth Social that: "If [Asfura] does not win, the United States will not be wasting money," warning that he would not invest resources in Honduras. "If Donald Trump takes away the aid from us, then yes it will affect us in every way, even us workers," commented Margarita, a cook who also hopes that Asfura "does his job very well and cleanly." Based on the preliminary count by the National Electoral Council (CNE) on Monday, Nasry Asfura leads the tally with 40% of the votes, while Salvador Nasralla, of the Liberal Party, has 39.78%. In the remaining positions are Rixi Moncada, from the Liberty and Refoundation Party, with 19.18%, and Nelson Avila, from the Innovation and Social Democratic Unity Party, with 0.84%. Preemptive accusations of election fraud, made both by the ruling party and opposition, have sparked fears of unrest. "