Today, a Global Exchange delegation of 47 observers from 13 countries arrived in Honduras to participate in an international electoral observation mission organized in partnership with the Honduran Center for Democracy Studies (CESPAD) and the Honduras Solidarity Network (HSN). Our teams will be monitoring conditions across electorally sensitive regions leading up to the November 30 elections.
We are entering this moment with grave concern about escalating U.S. intervention and external pressure. The Honduran people deserve free and fair elections, free from manipulation, fear-mongering, or interference from any foreign government, including the United States. As international observers, we will closely monitor any efforts to shape outcomes or undermine Honduran sovereignty.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump escalated U.S. involvement in the Honduran elections by endorsing National Party candidate Tito Asfura and attacking the other candidates as “communists,” “narcoterrorists,” and “unreliable.” Ted Lewis of Global Exchange said, “Trump’s declaration is not just disrespectful of Honduran sovereignty and democratic dignity; it is part and parcel of a full-on return to gunboat diplomacy.” A wave of similar red-baiting and anti-communist messaging emanating from congressional hearings, op-eds, and State Department communications reflects the broader posture Washington is taking toward these elections.
Karen Spring of the Honduras Solidarity Network said, “These red-baiting messages synchronize with those of the very same forces in Honduras that supported the 2009 coup. This election period has been marked by sharp polarization, fear-mongering, and sophisticated attempts to undermine confidence in the electoral process.”
Over the next several days, GX, CESPAD, and HSN teams will be traveling widely across the country, from urban centers to rural communities, to accompany local organizations, observe conditions at polling sites, and share timely information about what communities are facing on the ground.
Global Exchange has long stood with Honduran civil society, Indigenous and Black communities, land defenders, campesino movements, women and youth leaders, journalists, and human rights defenders, who continue to risk their lives to defend their territories, their rights, and their future. Our mission is grounded in solidarity with communities who have faced violence, displacement, and criminalization for demanding dignity and democratic rights.
Watch the Press Conference (Livestream) live from Honduras: Anuncio del despliegue de la Misión Internacional: Global Exchange, CESPAD y la Plataforma Juvenil Electoral
Today, Thursday, November 28
8:00 a.m. Pacific / 11:00 a.m. Eastern
Hotel Plaza San Martín, Salón Audiencias
Livestream: https://www.facebook.com/CespadCentroDeEstudioParaLaDemocracia
Throughout the election period, we will be providing live updates from polling stations, communities under pressure, and from our mission headquarters in Tegucigalpa.
Follow Global Exchange for real-time coverage on:
Instagram, X, Bluesky, Facebook
Thank you for standing with us, and with the people of Honduras, in this critical moment for democracy in the Americas.