TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS.- Initially the exit polls, then the first lowering of the results of the National Electoral Council (CNE) and, to conclude, the confession to this Thursday of Mauricio Oliva of his defeat increased to Nasry “Tito” Asfura as the National Party’s presidential candidate for the Honduras general election.
Asfura thus breaks with a “curse” from more than 20 years ago that weighed on the mayors who aspired to the presidency of the Republic: they had all dealt with a president of the National Congress and they had all lost.
From the first exit polls on Sunday, for lack of official results, an electoral coup was envisioned by the mayor and presidential candidate of the Unity and Hope movement against the head of the Legislative branch, two votes against one: two points for “Tito” for one that Oliva received.
Nevertheless, in “Tito” (twice in a row mayor) sobriety and serenity reigned on Sunday: “Here we do not have to celebrate, we are a strong and united party.” Oliva, from “Juntos Podemos”, was only waiting for the official results.
This data officially came in on Wednesday evening, when the CNE released its first cutoff of results, where Asfura released the 74% of the votes (with 101,573 marks in his favor), while Oliva was inside 26% (36,258 votes).
For the President of the National Congress, those numbers were enough to know that there was a terrible difference and, unlike the other political parties where they wage a gruesome battle over the disagreements with the results, he accepted defeat.
(1/3) The results that the @BuienRadarNL they exhibit an irreversible tendency that does not favor me. With respect for the institutions, he accepted them and paid attention to the other electives that were ready to defend the positions of our candidates.
– Mauricio Oliva (@DrMauriciolivaH) March 18, 2021
See: Here we don’t have to celebrate anything, we are a strong and united party: “Tito” Asfura
Mayor vs. president of the National Congress
Since Honduras entered the democratic stage (since 1982) after being subject to the military mandate, a president of the National Congress has dealt with a mayor of Tegucigalpa four times in primaries or general elections.
The common denominator: in all confrontations, the representative of the legislature won.
The proof of this is shown by history: Nora Gúnera de Melgar (Mayor from 1990-1994) lost to Carlos Flores. Placeholder image (President of the legislature from 1994-1998).
The same happened with Miguel Pastor in 2005 when it fell on Porfirio Lobo Sosa. The difference is that they were both in office at the time of the confrontation.
Then it would be added Ricardo Alvarez in 2013, who couldn’t Juan Orlando HernándezAlvarez would add eight years as mayor, while Hernández was head of the National Congress.
Three to zero, in favor of the congressmen.
History has changed: Nasry Asfura, 62, is the National Party’s candidate for next November’s general election thanks to seven out of ten nationalists giving him the vote in the primaries on Sunday.
And this resounding triumph was achieved despite the fact that they were elections held in the face of a pandemic and the erosion of the National Party due to reports of corruption and drug trafficking.
Also read: “Tito” Asfura, a charismatic candidate who shrinks from the cameras
The popularity
Experts estimate that Nasry Asfura would not get enough votes to reach the candidacy of nationalism, as he was only known in Tegucigalpa for his management as mayor, but there is evidence that he can win 16 out of 18 wards.
The certainty of victory was so strong in the “Papi a la Orden” movement that the candidate for mayor of Tegucigalpa, David Chavez, announced that he would make his position available if he lost, as well Antonio Rivera, aspiring again to become a congressman.
In eight years, translated into two terms as mayor of the capital, “Tito” has given the city a different face, the citizen said. Evelyn Ortez, who also pointed out “the bad thing is he’s left the works for politics in recent months.”
See also: Honduras Election Results: Who Wins Primary President-Level Elections?
The penultimate step
The “Unity and Hope” movement was formed with no leader to run for president. But with the passing of the days and the direct and indirect pressure, Nasry Asfura took up the challenge of starting the process aimed at the presidency of the Republic of Honduras.
For example, on November 13, the current “Unity and Hope” was registered with the CNE. Four months later, “Papi a la Orden” feeds the illusion of nationalism to achieve the succession of Juan Orlando Hernandez, nationalist president who will expire on January 27, 2022.
The fact that “Tito” has achieved an already consolidated movement has also enabled him to enjoy the increase in his followers, meanwhile said expert Arnulfo Castellanos.
“He was already popular, but achieving a base in which almost all politicians are known gave him the extra he needed,” he said.
The movement is so well structured that they have their own center for calculating and disseminating results with copies of the minutes at the three levels (president, deputies and mayors).
“Papi a la Orden” and his movement face two challenges: replenish your strength with Mauricio Oliva in the National Party and go away mayor of the Honduran presidency, a fact that so far no politician has reached.
Rather, there are three challenges: there is a money laundering procedure at the gates.