Conservatives ahead of governing party in Honduras presidential vote, early results show

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — With votes from about 43% of polling places counted early Monday in Honduras' presidential contest, preliminary and partial results showed two conservative challengers leading the race. The vote came just days after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened in a close race by endorsing a candidate and announcing that he would pardon a former president.

The National Electoral Council said that Nasry “Tito” Asfura of the National Party had 40.54% of votes in early counting, while Salvador Nasralla, of the conservative Liberal Party, had about 38.99%. Rixi Moncada of the democratic socialist LIBRE or Liberty and Re-foundation party trailed with 19.49%.

Both Asfura and Nasralla said it was still early in the count and resisted declaring victory. After initial excitement at both parties' campaign headquarters, the streets of the capital were generally quiet Sunday night as the count slowly advanced.

Asfura, the 67-year-old former mayor of Honduras' capital Tegucigalpa, ran as a pragmatic politician, pointing to his popular infrastructure projects.

Just days before the vote, U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed him, saying he would fight “narco-communists” with the United States and was the only Honduran candidate his administration would work with.

Nasralla, a 72-year-old sportscaster, has campaigned with various parties over the years and even joined the ticket of current President Xiomara Castro four years ago. But even in his fourth bid for the presidency, he continued to cast himself as an outsider and his central campaign issue has remained rooting out corruption.

As the preliminary results came in late Sunday, Nasralla said the the race was still too close to call. “We are really going to know the result tomorrow in the course of the day,” he said. He expressed confidence that the remaining vote tallies would favor him.

Trump shocked Hondurans on Friday by announcing that he would pardon former National Party President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was one year into a 45-year sentence in a U.S. prison for helping drug traffickers move cocaine to the United States.

Many Hondurans said it would not affect their votes.

Trump lashed out at Nasralla and Moncada just days before the vote, warning they could lead Honduras down the same path as Venezuela.

Some voters echoed Trump’s warnings that Moncada could lead Honduras to become another Venezuela, because Castro has maintained a cordial relationship with Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro, while simultaneously working with the Trump administration on security and immigration issues.

The final stages of the presidential campaign were dominated by the three leading candidates trading accusations of election fixing, leading Honduran and international observers to warn that they could be undermining the process’ credibility.

Moncada, current President Castro’s handpicked successor, said in the days leading up to the election that she would not accept the preliminary tallies because she believed there was a plot to manipulate them.

Moncada called on her supporters shortly before preliminary results were announced to remain ready to fight until they have 100% of the results. She said she would not comment on the electoral council’s preliminary results until Monday.

Meanwhile, there was concern among the opposition that the governing LIBRE would use the levers of government to give Moncada an advantage in the contest.

Concerns about security and employment were top of mind for many voters.

The homicide and unemployment rates have both improved during the past four years under Castro even as the International Monetary Fund applauded her administration’s fiscal responsibility, but Honduras still has Central America’s highest homicide rate and Hondurans complain about a lack of job opportunities.

Castro’s supporters point to the situation she inherited from ex-President Hernández, whom her government extradited to the United States to face drug trafficking charges after he left office.

Hondurans also elected a new Congress on Sunday, as well as voting for hundreds of local positions.

Supporters cheer for the ruling party presidential candidate Rixi Moncada at the party's headquarters in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Ruling party presidential candidate Rixi Moncada arrives to the party's headquarters before speaking to supporters in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Nasry Asfura, presidential candidate for the National Party, shows his inked finger afterv voting in general elections in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

People walk past a candidate's stand with campaign materials during general elections in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Emmanuel Andres)

Nasry Asfura, presidential candidate for the National Party, gestures during general elections in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla, of the Liberal Party, shows his ballot during general elections in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Rixi Moncada, presidential candidate of the ruling Liberty and Refoundation Party (LIBRE), shows her inked finger after voting in general elections in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Emmanuel Andres)

A soldier guards a polling station during general elections in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist, Samuel Helenius scored his first goal of the season, and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Minnesota Wild 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday night.

Adrian Kempe and Corey Perry also scored, Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves, and the Kings were able to respond after wilting late in similar circumstances in a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Matt Boldy scored late to salvage a point for the Wild. Jake Middleton, Joel Eriksson Ek and Brock Faber each had a goal, and Minnesota is 3-0-3 in its past six games. Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves.

Kempe and Brandt Clarke scored in the four-round shootout, and Kuemper saved attempts by Kirill Kaprizov and Vladimir Tarasenko.

The Kings took the lead four times, only for the Wild to tie it up each time, with Boldy making it 4-4 with 2:57 remaining by getting to the right post where Faber’s shot went in off his upper body.

Los Angeles went back in front 3-2 early in the third period when Byfield sent the puck caroming off the boards back into the crease, Wallstedt lost it in his skates off his line, and it was eventually knocked in by an errant Minnesota stick.

Faber tied it up 3-all at 7:33 with an easy tap in from Danila Yurov off the rush.

Helenius scored on a wrist shot from the left circle at 12:09 of the third to put the Kings back up 4-3, with the fourth-line center coming free after entering the zone late off a line chance and putting in Kevin Fiala’s pass.

The teams meet again Monday night in Los Angeles.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Minnesota Wild defenseman Jake Middleton, center, is congratulated after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Los Angeles Kings right wing Quinton Byfield collides with Minnesota Wild right wing Danila Yurov (22) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt blocks a shot by Los Angeles Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Los Angeles Kings right wing Corey Perry (10) is congratulated at the bench after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)