Honduras Eyeing First Female President As Xiomara Castro Creates a Wide Lead

Honduras may possibly be having its first female president with presidential candidate Xiomara Castro created a wide lead, 12 years after her husband was ousted in a coup.

The vote count for Sunday's election unexpectedly paused for hours on Monday, with Castro holding around a 20-point lead over conservative Nasry Asfura, according to a Reuters report.

Asfura is the mayor of the capital Tegucigalpa and candidate of the ruling National Party. He won 34 percent according to a preliminary tally, although the results had not been updated yet for over 10 hours by afternoon of Monday.

Castro has promised changes in Honduras, including a constitutional overhaul, United Nations support in combatting corruption, as well as looser restrictions on abortion.

The former first lady of Manuel Zelaya had also implied the idea of dropping diplomatic support for Taiwan in favor of China, which is a policy proposal being eyed closely in Washington, Beijing, and Taipei.

Former Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis is the chief of the Organization of American States' observer mission.

Guillermo Solis said he saw nothing untoward the delay and expected the electoral council would clear up matters soon.

The chief of the OAS noted that he was "pleasantly surprised" with the record turnout and lack of political violence.

Presidential Candidate Xiomara Castro

Castro held a margin of at least 350,000 votes with more than 1.8 million votes counted, according to an Aljazeera report.

Major Honduran news outlets have called the race a win for Castro despite calls from the National Electoral Council to wait for the official results, adding that no result would be announced until the last vote is counted.

The business had already offered congratulations to Castro, while the presidential candidate promised to work "hand in hand" with the private sector.

Castro noted that her administration will create a government of reconciliation, as well as the creation of leadership of peace and justice. However, critics have painted her as a dangerous radical, noting Zelaya's association with late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

The ruling party had also reportedly resorted to scare tactics, warning that Castro would legalize abortion and turn Honduras into a communist nation, according to The Guardian report.

Leftist leaders from across Latin America have been sending Castro messages of congratulations on social media.

Honduras has been plagued by gang violence, drug trafficking, and hurricanes with 59 percent of the country's 10 million people living in poverty.

Castro sought the presidency twice before, including one in 2017 before she stood down to back another candidate, seized on the unpopularity of outgoing President Juan Orlando Hernández.

Meanwhile, National Party's candidate Asfura was keeping his distance from the president during the election campaign.

Orlando Hernandez and members of the ruling party have been accused of corruption and drug trafficking allegations.

Orlando Hernandez's brother was convicted in New York of drug trafficking and the president himself has also been accused by prosecutors of overseeing state-supported drug trafficking.

Carlos Garcia, a 43-year-old Tegucigalpa shop worker, said that he believed Castro's wide victory margin was keeping a lid on post-election violence.

Garcia said that Castro's victory was "overwhelming" that ruling conservatives could not commit "fraud."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Honduras on course for first female president, Xiomara Castro - from BBC News