The President of the United States, Donald Trump, displayed, on Saturday February 7, his closeness to the new president of Honduras, Nasry Asfura, following a meeting with the conservative leader, whose candidacy he had supported to lead one of the poorest and most violent countries in Central America.
The arrival to power of this former construction entrepreneur turns the page on four years of left-wing government and provides the President of the United States, Donald Trump, with one more ally in Latin America, after the advent of the right in Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Argentina.
“I had a very important meeting with my friend and President of Honduras, Nasry “Tito” Asfura”the Republican president wrote on his network, Truth Social, after a meeting at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
“Interference”
“‘Tito’ and I share many of the same values that put America first. We have a close security partnership”he added, specifying that they had discussed trade between the two nations and their mutual investments.
The Honduran presidency released a photo of the two leaders smiling and giving a thumbs-up sign. Aged 67, Mr. Asfura was inaugurated president at the end of January, following a vote whose results were delayed for almost three weeks amid accusations of fraud.
The outgoing president, Xiomara Castro, castigated “interference” from the American leader, who had threatened to reduce aid to Honduras if his favorite did not win. Even before his inauguration, Nasry Asfura was received by the American Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, on January 12. He returned by announcing a proposed free trade agreement with the United States, destination of 60% of Honduras’ exports, and a promise to strengthen cooperation in security matters.
Some 2 million Hondurans live in the United States, many undocumented. Their remittances represent a third of the GDP of Honduras, where poverty affects 60% of the 11 million inhabitants.
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