Q24N (EFE) In the small parliament building, with hardly any protocol or heads of state present, but surrounded by his supporters, conservative Nasry “Tito” Asfura was sworn in as president of Honduras on Tuesday, a position he will hold until 2030.
Asfura entered the chamber without walking through the corridor of honor—where the press and invited guests were gathered—dressed in a simple dark blue suit and accompanied by his wife, Lissette Del Cid, who wore white. Visibly shy, he greeted the few people present at the event and the new president of Parliament.
The ceremony lasted barely an hour at the Honduran parliament building—unlike his predecessors who assumed power in a large football stadium in excessively ornate and lengthy ceremonies—with the international community represented by diplomatic corps.
The new Honduran president followed a basic protocol that included the singing of the national anthem, a blessing from the Church, a military escort, the swearing of allegiance to the Constitution, and, of course, the presentation of the blue and white presidential sash.
His speech was also brief and direct, in keeping with the occasion. Without excessive formal greetings, Asfura addressed, in 12 minutes, the reduction of government spending, security, health, and the economy—some of the main challenges of his administration—while also alluding to the need for peace.
National Politics
“Honduras, I will not fail you. We will be alright. God bless you and your families, God bless Honduras,” Asfura said from a simple transparent lectern.
He made no mention of the international community, not even the United States—despite the hasty support it gave him before the elections—nor of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández (2014-2022), from the same political party as Asfura and pardoned by US President Donald Trump in 2024 for his drug trafficking conviction, the day after the elections won by the now-Honduran president.
And his first act as president was to sign a decree to put the presidential plane up for sale. This plane had been acquired during Juan Orlando Hernández’s administration and was never used by the outgoing president, the leftist Xiomara Castro (2022-2026).
Throughout the inauguration, Asfura crossed himself repeatedly, barely leaving his wife’s side, the now-first lady. He even recited a Catholic prayer during the final minutes of his 12-minute speech. A Massive Appreciation
While the Parliament building was sparsely decorated and lacked presence, the streets surrounding the Legislative Palace were, in contrast, overflowing with supporters waving Honduran flags and chanting “Yes, we did it!” in front of a heavy military presence that had been guarding the area for days.
After being sworn in as president, Asfura walked down the corridor where the media awaited him and, standing on a small platform, emphatically repeated: “Honduras will be alright.” And he gave another blessing.
Without stopping to speak to the press, the new Honduran president, a construction businessman of Palestinian origin, quickly made his way to another stage, outside, adjacent to the Parliament building, where he was greeted with cheers by the crowd.
Asfura assumed the presidency of Honduras after a complex electoral process marked by political tension, a month-long delay in releasing the official results of the November 30th elections, and a narrow victory over his opponent, Salvador Nasralla, of the also conservative Liberal Party.
The president came to power without the support of the outgoing government, led by Xiomara Castro (the first woman to be president of Honduras), as the leftist Libre Party denounced electoral fraud, which heightened the hostile atmosphere for weeks amidst failed attempts at mobilization and without the support of international observers.