Trump stated that his administration will place “full confidence” in Asfura, whom he believes is capable of steering Honduras toward “great political and financial success.” According to the U.S. president, a potential victory for the nationalist candidate would usher in a period of close cooperation between Washington and Tegucigalpa.
“Tito will be a great president, and the United States will work closely with him to ensure Honduras achieves its full potential,” he declared.
Support contingent on Asfura’s victory, as indicated by Trump
The U.S. president made it clear that Washington’s support hinges on Asfura winning. Trump was unequivocal in warning that if the candidate does not prevail, the United States will not invest resources in a country under what he regards as a “catastrophic” leadership.
“If Tito Asfura wins the presidency of Honduras… we will provide all our support.
If he does not win, the United States will not wast resources.”
This statement, notable for its bluntness regarding a foreign electoral process, places Honduras’s politics under direct external pressure.
The pardon for JOH: a firm announcement, but within a political context
Trump explicitly announced that he will grant a full pardon to Juan Orlando Hernández:
“Additionally, I will grant a total pardon to former president Juan Orlando Hernández…”
However, the president does not frame the pardon as a condition tied to Asfura’s victory. Instead, he narratively contextualizes it within a scenario where Honduras would already be on the path to “great success” after Asfura’s election:
“This cannot be allowed, especially now, after Tito Asfura wins the elections, when Honduras will be on the way to great success…”
In essence, the pardon is presented as a decision, but its political justification seems linked to the shift in direction that, according to Trump, a victory for Asfura would represent.
A message that shakes the Honduran campaign
The political impact is immediate:
- Asfura emerges as the candidate explicitly backed by Washington.
- The future of the bilateral relationship appears contingent on the electoral outcome.
- The case of Juan Orlando Hernández reemerges as a mobilizing, pressure, and narrative factor during the final stretch of the campaign.
A closing with a direct call to vote
Trump concluded with a clear exhortation to the Hondurans:
“Vote for Tito Asfura for president, and congratulations to Juan Orlando Hernández on his forthcoming pardon!”
This statement turns the Honduran election into an issue of hemispheric geopolitics and adds an exceptional element: a U.S. presidential pardon announced amid a foreign electoral campaign, with far-reaching political implications.