Displaying items by tag: interference

The Honduran presidential election has become increasingly tense after the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced a full manual recount of the 30 November vote. Currently there is a wafer-thin margin between the two leading candidates, which has prompted the CNE to announce a ‘technical tie’; it is calling for patience while all the votes are counted manually. Donald Trump sharply criticised the process on social media, accusing the authorities of attempting to alter the outcome and warning that there would be ‘hell to pay’ if his preferred candidate, Nasry Asfura, is not declared the winner. Asfura, a right-wing former mayor, held a lead of just over 500 votes with more than half of ballots counted. His centrist rival, Salvador Nasralla, cited internal projections suggesting he was ahead but refrained from claiming victory. Whatever the final outcome, the election is a clear defeat for the country’s ruling left-wing, whose candidate, Rixi Moncada, only has 19% of the vote.

Days before crucial parliamentary elections, Moldova’s president Maia Sandu has warned that Russian-backed plots are threatening her nation’s independence and European aspirations. Police have arrested 74 people accused of planning violent unrest, seizing weapons and explosives allegedly supplied through Russian training in Serbia. Sandu accused the Kremlin of pouring hundreds of millions of euros into Moldova to spread disinformation, buy votes, and intimidate pro-EU supporters, echoing past meddling during the 2022 EU-accession referendum which was narrowly approved by just 50.4%. Pro-Russian parties deny wrongdoing and claim Sandu is stifling opposition, while Moscow’s SVR intelligence agency countered with disinformation alleging European plans to falsify the vote and occupy Moldova. Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity faces stiff competition, especially in Russian-speaking regions like Gagauzia where many favour closer ties to Moscow. She is calling for high voter turnout, particularly from the diaspora, to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and keep its path toward EU membership.