Honduras set for first female president as leftist Castro heads for victory
Honduran presidential candidate Xiomara Castro was headed for a landslide win as presidential election results rolled in on Monday, and looked set to put the left back in power 12 years after her husband was ousted in a coup, Reuters reports.
Castro, who would be the Central American nation's first female president, has promised big changes in Honduras including a constitutional overhaul, United Nations support in the fight against corruption, and looser abortion restrictions.
She has also floated the idea of dropping diplomatic support for Taiwan in favor of China, a policy proposal keenly watched in Washington, Beijing and Taipei.
With just over half the ballots counted, Castro, the wife of former President Manuel Zelaya, held a nearly 20-point lead over conservative Nasry Asfura, the capital's mayor and candidate for the ruling National Party, who won 34% according to a preliminary tally.
Early on Monday, Castro thanked Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Twitter for a message congratulating her.
The election took place against a backdrop of poverty exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, adding to anger fueled by scandals that helped pushed record numbers of migrants to leave for the United States.
Castro, who sought the presidency twice earlier including a short 2017 run before she stood down to back another candidate, seized on the unpopularity of outgoing Hernandez.
The National Party's candidate Asfura was at pains to keep his distance from the president during the election campaign.
Asfura urged voters to show patience in a social media post, but stopped short of conceding.
The fate of Honduras' 128-member Congress remained in the air with no results published. If the National Party keeps control, it could complicate life for a Castro administration.
News.Az
Similar news
