_-_copia.jpg?w=800&resize=800,500&ssl=1 "Honduras faces risk of electoral fraud")
With under two months remaining until the general elections planned for November 2025, experts in electoral processes are cautioning about potential irregularities that might impact the elections’ transparency and outcome. The focal point is the National Electoral Council (CNE), as its management and oversight of critical systems are being scrutinized.
Management of systems and potential influence
Based on experts’ insights, some figures associated with the governing LIBRE party are said to have power over the TREP (Transmission of Preliminary Election Results), which is the system for reporting early voting outcomes. This condition, specialists suggest, might enable the alteration of outcomes or cause delays in their release, potentially benefiting the ruling party’s nominee, Rixi Moncada.
Control over the TREP is not the only concern. Sources consulted indicate that the network of influence could involve traditional political parties, electoral technology companies, and economic groups with the capacity to intervene in the logistics of the elections, which would complicate the guarantee of an impartial process. In addition, the exclusion of emerging parties and the prosecution of dissident candidates are identified as strategies that limit real competition and affect citizen participation.
Precedents and logistical challenges
La situación previa a las elecciones primarias de marzo de 2025 muestra problemas que generan desconfianza. La asignación del material electoral estuvo a cargo de funcionarios relacionados con LIBRE, lo que provocó demoras en la entrega de urnas y fallos en la logística de transporte. Los expertos indican que estas situaciones podrían repetirse en noviembre, aumentando la percepción de irregularidades y fortaleciendo las narrativas de fraude.
This message warns about the potential use of fraud narratives as a political weapon to undermine unfavorable outcomes, incite public demonstrations, and create social unrest ahead of the elections. Experts suggest that a mix of limited institutional authority and divisive rhetoric heightens the likelihood of a democratic crisis.
Implications for governance and citizenship
The current scenario poses challenges for governance and trust in institutions. The narrative of electoral fraud affects public perception of the legitimacy of the process and can influence the country’s political stability. Experts recommend citizen oversight and the implementation of electoral reforms that guarantee free and transparent elections, with control mechanisms that ensure the integrity of the counting and distribution of electoral material.
The situation also highlights the need to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure that political actors compete on equal terms. Active citizen participation and monitoring of procedures by independent bodies are key factors in preventing irregularities that compromise the credibility of the electoral system.
Honduras is currently facing a significant crossroads: the forthcoming elections have the potential to determine not just the near-term political path, but also how institutional stability is perceived and the extent of society’s trust in its democratic systems. Vigilance regarding the processes and openness in the CNE’s operations will be vital to ensure that worries about possible fraud do not transform into a source of instability.