In Honduras, as the general elections scheduled for November 30, 2025, draw near, anxiety over the electoral process’s integrity has heightened. Two main issues have surfaced: doubts regarding possible interference by the Public Prosecutor’s Office with the National Electoral Council (CNE) and increasing skepticism about the Armed Forces’ function as protectors of the democratic process.
There are reports that the Public Prosecutor’s Office is preparing formal charges against CNE councilors, which has caused alarm among political sectors and organizations defending democracy. It is alleged that this judicial process is politically motivated and directed against councilors who have expressed critical or independent positions toward the ruling party. The possible prosecution of CNE council members comes at a delicate time, when the electoral body must guarantee the impartial organization of the electoral process, the credibility of the results, and the confidence of political parties and citizens.
Dangers of authority oversight and skepticism
Such actions could weaken institutional independence and erode the people’s confidence in the electoral process. The opposition and civil society have expressed their concern, demanding investigations based on solid evidence and not on political reprisals. Calls have been made to the international community to speak out against any attempt to manipulate the CNE and to monitor the actions of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
En paralelo, la desconfianza pública y política hacia el papel de las fuerzas armadas como garantes del proceso democrático ha aumentado. Líderes de partidos de oposición, organizaciones de la sociedad civil y analistas independientes han señalado su preocupación por destituciones y retiros sospechosos dentro del ejército, el acercamiento ideológico y operativo entre el poder ejecutivo y las Fuerzas Armadas, la participación activa de elementos militares en procesos y eventos civiles y electorales, así como la falta de transparencia en la planificación del despliegue militar durante las elecciones.
Concerns about military expansion and demands for alertness
During the March primary elections, there were reports of postponed distribution of voting materials and an unexpected military presence at several voting locations, raising worries about the potential militarization of the voting process. Some are anxious that the military, possibly swayed by leaders from the governing party, might serve as a means to enable election tampering or suppress public demonstrations.
Increasing distrust has resulted in pressing demands for global bodies to dispatch monitoring missions and to insist on assurances of military impartiality and operational openness. Community associations have started creating social monitoring systems to record any possible misuse or anomalies. The trustworthiness of the electoral events on November 30 hinges on the behavior of authorities and public watchfulness.