Honduras is approaching a general election on November 30, and the stakes are high. Voters will decide on the next president, 128 members of the National Congress, and 20 representatives to the Central American Parliament. But there are reasons to worry that the right to a free and fair election may be at risk.
The March primary elections signaled challenges to the electoral process. They were marked by logistical mismanagement, as ballot boxes arrived several hours late at polling places in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, the country’s two largest cities. Some people had to vote in the middle of the night or the next morning, and the voting had to be repeated at two centers the following week.
A public blame game among the three members of the National Electoral Council (CNE) followed, undermining the institution’s credibility. The council, charged with organizing the elections, became paralyzed. One member, Marlon Ochoa, stopped attending plenary sessions. Another, Ana Paola Hall, attempted to resign, citing threats against her and her family.
This institutional deadlock delayed the awarding of the contract for the Transmisión de Resultados Electorales Preliminares, or TREP, a system that transmits preliminary election results after the polls close on election day, with the original deadline set out in the electoral law having expired in July. On August 5, the council finally reached agreement on the terms for the system. On August 7, Congress extended the deadline for awarding the contract to August 30.
The council also has serious structural shortcomings. After the disputed 2017 elections, the country’s three largest political parties—Liberal, Nacional and Libre, currently in power—agreed to divide control of the council, with each party selecting one member. Electoral observers from the Organization of American States (OAS) and the European Union have noted that this structure, while reflecting the country’s main political forces, undermines the council’s independence and makes it difficult for it to function.
Concerns about criminal prosecution of council members and opposition leaders have exacerbated the situation. In late July, Attorney General Johel Zelaya announced an investigation into the three members for “treason,” “abuse of authority,” and other crimes. He said that there was a “conspiracy against the elections,” which he would “not allow.”
The Congress president and member of the Libre party, Luis Redondo, has also asked the Attorney General’s Office to investigate alleged coercion and threats against council members by members of the Liberal and Nacional parties. OAS observers have warned about the risk of “excessive judicial intervention” in the electoral process in Honduras.
These latest developments add to other concerns about the election’s fairness. Allegations of illicit campaign financing, particularly tied to drug trafficking, are persistent.
Political violence remains a grave threat. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the 2021 elections were marked by high levels of political violence, including 32 homicides. Months ahead of the 2025 elections, atleastfourmayoral candidates have been killed. Analysts say that regions like Cortés, Olancho, Yoro, and Francisco Morazán, with high levels of organized crime and competitive elections, are particularly vulnerable.
The international community should take important steps to protect the rights of Hondurans to vote in free and fair elections. The OAS, which has already expressed concern about the elections, can play a critical role in mediating among political parties, providing technical support for the election’s organization, and observing the process. OAS member states should actively support these efforts.
The European Union has also expressed its interest in sending an observation mission. The experience in Guatemala’s 2023 election and in other countries in the region shows that the presence of both OAS and EU missions can help safeguard electoral processes and support each mission’s work.
The Carter Center, which the government has also invited to observe the elections, could also play an important role. Additionally, UN officials in Honduras and foreign ambassadors should consider whether they can play a role in mediating among political parties to protect the fairness of the electoral process.
Foreign governments and leaders should make sure they support the will of the Honduran people, not of their ally or preferred candidate. Hondurans have the right to decide who rules their country, and the international community should make sure their votes count, and their voices are heard.
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Ana María Méndez-Dardón is the Director for Central America at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) and Juan Pappier is deputy Americas director at Human Rights Watch.
