I just saw that Honduras has an elected president, and the story is quite interesting from a geopolitical perspective. Nasry 'Tito' Asfura, a construction magnate, won the presidential election after a recount that lasted more than three weeks. Interestingly, Trump publicly endorsed him almost two days before the vote, saying he was the only candidate he would work with.

The numbers were close: Tito Asfura received 40.3 percent compared to 39.5 percent for Salvador Nasralla, a TV personality who did not accept the results. Nasralla directly called it a fraud on Facebook and TikTok, comparing the situation to Maduro in Venezuela. The third candidate, Rixi Moncada from the ruling party, trailed far behind with 19.2 percent.

Now, Asfura is a civil engineer who served as mayor of Tegucigalpa for two terms. His main promise is to cut ties with China and Venezuela and strengthen relations with the United States, Taiwan, and Israel. This is significant because the previous president, Xiomara Castro, established relations with China in 2023, ending ties with Taipei. Tito Asfura promises to reverse that, arguing that the relationship with China caused job losses.

What’s interesting is that this aligns perfectly with Trump’s strategy of pressuring trade partners to distance themselves from Beijing. Bolivia recently elected Rodrigo Paz, and Chile chose José Antonio Kast, both pro-Washington. Markets reacted positively when Asfura took the lead in the preliminary count.

Honduras has a complicated history with electoral controversies. Manuel Zelaya was overthrown in a coup in 2009, and the 2017 elections were widely considered fraudulent and triggered deadly protests. Interestingly, Juan Orlando Hernández, who won those 2017 elections, was imprisoned in the United States for drug trafficking, but Trump recently pardoned him. Hernández belonged to the same party as Asfura.

The electoral authority announced the results on Christmas Eve after markets closed, when many Hondurans were in family gatherings, limiting immediate disturbances. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, quickly congratulated Tito Asfura and expressed that the U.S. looks forward to working with his administration.

What I see here is a clear geopolitical move: Honduras is repositioning itself toward Washington and moving away from China’s sphere. Asfura promises to reduce bureaucracy, build a regional gas pipeline, offer tax incentives to foreign investment—especially American—and reduce emigration. Although he is the son of Palestinian immigrants, he also committed to maintaining cordial relations with Israel. Definitely a significant shift in the region.