EditFrom Bukele to Maduro: Trump splits Latin America into allies and adversaries
Honduras is joining a swelling roster of right-leaning nations banking on Trump alliances, particularly smaller aid-dependent states
After weeks of delays, technical glitches and bitter accusations of fraud, Honduran electoral authorities on Wednesday declared conservative Nasry “Tito” Asfura the winner of the country’s presidential election, handing a narrow victory to the candidate openly backed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Asfura, a 67-year-old businessman and former mayor of Tegucigalpa from the right-wing National Party, captured 40.3% of the vote, edging out center-right Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla, who received 39.5%. Rixi Moncada, the candidate of outgoing leftist President Xiomara Castro’s LIBRE party, finished a distant third.
The razor-thin margin — decided after a manual recount of hundreds of thousands of ballots — capped a tumultuous process that saw Trump intervene repeatedly, endorsing Asfura days before the November 30 vote, threatening to withhold U.S. aid if he lost, and alleging fraud without evidence during the protracted count. Trump also pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, an Asfura ally convicted in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges.
Opponents decried the moves as blatant foreign meddling. Nasralla refused to concede, claiming ballots were manipulated, while Castro’s administration labelled it an “electoral coup.” Protests erupted in Tegucigalpa, with LIBRE supporters blocking access to tally sheets.
Yet Asfura’s triumph fits into a broader pattern reshaping Latin America under Trump’s second term: a deepening divide between nations aligning with Washington’s conservative vision and those resisting perceived U.S. imperialism.
In its recently published National Security Strategy of November 2025, the Trump administration officially resuscitated the Monroe Doctrine by pledging to “reassert and enforce” it through a new “Trump Corollary,” aimed at restoring U.S. supremacy in the Western Hemisphere and denying non-hemispheric powers influence over strategic assets, migration routes, and security matters.
Trump has actively courted right-wing leaders, forging what analysts call a “conservative bloc” stretching from El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele — praised by Trump for his tough anti-gang policies — to Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei, who quickly congratulated Asfura. Chile’s recent election of far-right José Antonio Kast further underscores the regional rightward swing, fueled by voter frustration over crime, migration and economic stagnation.
In these pro-Trump camps, leaders echo his priorities: cracking down on migration routes to the U.S., combating drug cartels and prioritizing bilateral deals over multilateral forums. Asfura has signaled he may reverse Honduras’ recognition of China in favor of Taiwan, aligning with Trump’s anti-Beijing stance.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio swiftly recognized the result, pledging cooperation on “prosperity and security.” The rapid U.S. embrace contrasts sharply with reactions from Latin America’s leftist governments.
In Mexico, Brazil and Colombia — home to progressive leaders like Claudia Sheinbaum, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Gustavo Petro — Trump’s heavy-handed tactics have sparked outrage. These nations, often critical of U.S. interventionism, view the Honduras episode as a throwback to the Monroe Doctrine era, with Trump positioning himself as the hemisphere’s arbiter.
Regional bodies like the Organization of American States noted the process’s flaws, including an incomplete recount, but stopped short of challenging the outcome. Critics warn Trump’s approach risks alienating larger powers like Brazil and Mexico, complicating efforts on shared challenges such as migration and trade.
As Asfura assumes office on 27 January, Honduras joins a swelling roster of right-leaning nations banking on Trump alliances, particularly smaller aid-dependent states. Yet the episode underscores Latin America’s deepening polarization: countries welcoming “America First” partnerships versus those, including defiant holdouts like Venezuela and Nicaragua, bracing for escalation and decrying Yankee overreach.
With Trump’s administration prioritizing migration control and anti-China positioning, experts predict more flashpoints ahead. For now, Honduras joins a growing list of right-leaning governments betting on closer ties to Washington — even as others in the region push back against what they call a return to Yankee dominance.
With Reuters, edited by g.g.
Caption: US President Donald Trump (L) welcomes Argentine President Javier Milei to the White House in Washington, DC USA, 14 October 2025. EPA/WILL OLIVER
Updated: December 26, 2025 - 07:59
