Honduras opposition demands annulment of polls result


FE Team | Published: December 10, 2017 12:11:45 | Updated: December 11, 2017 14:14:47


Salvador Nasralla, shows a graphic to reporters while formally requesting to annul the results of the still-unresolved presidential election, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, early December 9, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

Honduran opposition parties have formally demanded the annulment of last month's presidential election.

It triggered deadly street violence amid allegations of vote-rigging.

The main opposition contender, Salvador Nasralla, accused the electoral authorities of tampering with the results in favour of the incumbent, Juan Orlando Hernández.

Official results show that Hernández won the vote by a narrow margin, but a partial recount is under way.

"We are not making a simple demand," said Nasralla.

"The whole world knows what has happened and I do not believe the world will allow Honduras be robbed of the people's will," he added.

The regional body of the Organisation for American States (OAS) requested the partial recount, reports BBC.

It said that the electoral court must check a number of alleged irregularities before announcing a result for the 26 November poll.

Votes from nearly 5,000 ballot boxes are being tallied again. Officials say results are due to be announced by Monday.

Nasralla had established a five-point lead over Mr Hernández on the first day of counting.

But the gap began to close after a computer problem was reported at the vote tallying centre in the capital, Tegucigalpa.

Mr Hernández eventually won by 1.6 percentage points.

Thousands of people took to the streets in rival demonstrations over the past two weeks. Human rights group Amnesty International says 14 people died in days of clashes.

The government imposed a curfew, which was lifted after on Friday, as violence was controlled.

The electoral tribunal has until 26 December to publish the result of the election.

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