Tegucigalpa, Dec 11 (AFP) Honduras's President JuanOrlando Hernandez maintained his lead in disputed electionresults after a partial recount, the head of the electoraltribunal said today.
An official winner of the November 26 election has stillnot been announced, and the small Central American nation of10 million has been mired in uncertainty since the vote.
"The result is consistent" with that which previously putHernandez ahead by 1.6 per cent, David Matamoros, thepresident of the tribunal, said following the recount of 4,753votes.
An initial count following the election put challengerSalvador Nasralla comfortably ahead of the incumbent, but thetribunal later gave Hernandez the advantage.
Nasralla, a 64-year-old former TV presenter with minimalpolitical experience, insists the vote was "rigged" to denyhim a clear victory.
International observers have expressed reservations overthe poll, which the Organization for American States said wasmarred by irregularities.
Supporters of both candidates have held demonstrationsand sporadic violence has occurred.
"I'm out here marching because I want my vote to berespected. Im the one who is supposed to decide, not thepeople who have always been in charge," said clothes retailerAnonia Vasquez, 51.
"The people here said no to reelection. And the presidentis giving a bad example," she argued.
Amnesty International denounced "dangerous and illegaltactics" to silence dissent.
It said at least 14 people have been killed since theelection, but there was no confirmation from police or otherofficials of that toll, at least in relation to the politicalcrisis. The death of one young woman and two officers havebeen confirmed. (AFP)CK.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.