Trump-backed candidate leads Honduran presidential race

[Election in Honduras. Man hand putting his vote into ballot box and Honduras flag on background - Close up]
Iskandar Zulkarnaen/iStock via Getty Images

Nasry Asfura, a conservative candidate endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump, is narrowly leading in Honduras' presidential election, early polling results showed.

According to the National Electoral Council, Asfura of the National Party won about 41% of the votes. Salvador Nasralla, of the conservative Liberal Party, secured 39% of the votes and Rixi Moncada of the ruling socialist LIBRE party had about 20%.

Trump last week urged Hondurans to elect Asfura, warning that "if he doesn't win, the United States will not be throwing good money after bad," similar to his condition for Argentina's economic support package.

"Tito [Asfura] and I can work together to fight the narco-communists and provide the necessary aid to the Honduran people," Trump said.

Trump later said he would pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who has been serving a 45-year sentence in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges. Trump said Hernández had been treated "very harshly and unfairly."

To note, Hernández was convicted of the same accusations that Trump has made against Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro denied any links to the illegal drug trade and claimed that the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean is aimed at ousting him. The U.S. military carried out at least 20 deadly strikes on boats near Venezuela that it claimed were carrying drugs.

MORE ON LATIN AMERICA

* Trump says Venezuela airspace 'to be closed in its entirety' as tensions escalate [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4526596-trump-says-venezuela-airspace-to-be-closed-in-its-entirety-as-tensions-escalate]
* Venezuela taps Chevron for key feedstock after U.S. blocked Russian ship [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4525927-venezuela-taps-chevron-for-key-feedstock-after-us-blocked-russian-ship---bloomberg]
* U.S. warns civilian air traffic around Venezuela amid military tensions [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4525151-us-warns-civilian-air-traffic-around-venezuela]
* Russia said to be open to supplying Venezuela with hypersonic missiles [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4515401-russia-open-to-supplying-venezuela-with-hypersonic-missiles]