Rubio meets Honduras President Elect Nasry Tito Asfura!
Washington, Jan 12 (EFE).-
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio met privately Monday with Honduran president-elect Nasry “Tito” Asfura, where they agreed to “deepen” ties between the two countries to advance shared regional goals, especially on security, amid Honduran President Xiomara Castro’s call for a full recount of votes.
Rubio congratulated Asfura on his victory in the Nov. 30 elections after a protracted process marked by allegations of fraud and a more than 24-day delay in confirming the winner, the U.S. State Department said.
In the meeting, Rubio highlighted the need to “deepen” the relationship and said they would continue cooperation on security matters, maintain the bilateral extradition treaty and expand information-sharing, according to the department.
In the weeks leading up to the November election, U.S. President Donald Trump directly urged Hondurans to vote for Asfura, a member of the conservative National Party, saying he would be the only candidate with whom the United States would have “fluid bilateral relations.”
Asfura is scheduled to be sworn in as president of Honduras on Jan. 27, succeeding Castro.
During his campaign, he pledged to prioritize security, the fight against organized crime and international cooperation, particularly with the United States and other Central American countries.
One day before Asfura’s visit to Washington, Castro called for a total recount of votes, alleging that thousands of ballots went uncounted and that there were significant irregularities in the process.
Among the notable reactions, the Honduran military said it supports the decision by the National Electoral Council to officially confirm the victory of the right-wing candidate. EFE
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