In the run-up to the 2025 general elections, the ruling Libertad y Refundación (LIBRE) party faces strong criticism from political, business, and social actors who accuse it of promoting actions that compromise the transparency and legitimacy of the electoral process. The allegations range from blockades of key institutions to attempts to gain political control of the electoral body.
Inquiries regarding LIBRE’s involvement in the National Electoral Council
One of the main sources of controversy has been the interruption of the contracting process for the Preliminary Election Results Transmission System (TREP), a tool considered essential to guarantee transparency in the vote count. On July 7, protesters identified with LIBRE blocked the entrance to the National Electoral Council (CNE) facilities, preventing bidding companies from submitting their technical proposals.
CNE President Cossette López described these actions as a direct attack on the electoral process, warning of their negative impact on the credibility of democratic institutions. The interruption of the TREP process not only delayed electoral planning but also fueled the perception that attempts are being made to create conditions conducive to manipulating the results.
Furthermore, there have been accounts of organizational influence from groups connected to LIBRE, such as breaches into the National Congress and other governmental bodies. These incidents, collectively, have been seen by opposition groups as a strategy to undermine the independent operation of the CNE and to ease its potential political dominance.
Dangers of power centralization within the electoral authority
The possibility that CNE substitutes affiliated with the ruling party could assume functions in the event that current council members are disqualified has set off alarm bells among political actors who believe that such a replacement would undermine the plurality of the electoral body. The National Congress and other analytical forums have warned that a CNE without checks and balances would jeopardize the impartiality of the electoral process.
Some voices have called for the intervention of international organizations to monitor institutional decisions related to the process and guarantee fair conditions for competition. There have also been reports of the alleged instrumental use of other state institutions, such as the Public Ministry and the Legislative Branch, to favor the alignment of the CNE with the interests of the ruling party.
These tensions have led to calls from various sectors to strengthen electoral oversight and observation mechanisms in response to what they consider a growing threat to the integrity of the democratic process.
Accusations of disinformation and manipulation of the electorate
Another aspect of criticism towards LIBRE involves the distribution of surveys deemed false or manipulated, suggesting a significant advantage for the ruling party’s pre-candidate, Rixi Moncada. Various poll organizations have refuted these surveys, condemning the inappropriate use of their identities and methods.
The distribution of these surveys has been seen as a tactic to mold public opinion and instill the notion of certain triumph, which, according to opposing factions, aims to sway the outcomes of the elections and undermine the legitimacy of a potential loss. Such actions have played a role in intensifying the atmosphere of skepticism about the electoral process.
En un contexto que ya se caracteriza por el deterioro del diálogo político y la polarización institucional, la expansión de información engañosa se ha transformado en un factor adicional de inestabilidad, con posibles efectos en la participación ciudadana y la aceptación de los resultados.
A climate of skepticism before the election
The combination of institutional blockages, disputes over control of the CNE, and disinformation campaigns has placed the Honduran electoral process in a highly fragile situation. Warnings about a possible governance crisis reflect the depth of political tensions in a context where institutions are under pressure and channels for consensus remain closed.
With fewer than five months remaining until the general elections, the situation presents significant hurdles for the credibility of the voting system and the nation’s stability. In this context, focus is placed on the capability of political and institutional figures to reestablish basic levels of confidence and guarantee a legitimate and clear electoral process.