Honduras faces election day with calls for calm

Tegucigalpa, Honduras today faces its elections amid calls for calm and transparency that will put an end to months of political violence and confrontation between the warring parties.

About 5.2 million Hondurans were authorized to elect the president of the republic and the three appointees (vice presidents) on Sunday, as well as 128 deputies from the National Congress and 20 from the Central American Parliament.

In addition, voters will be able to elect mayors, deputies and councilors in 298 municipalities from 18 provinces of this Central American country.

Among the 13 candidates to succeed Juan Orlando Hernandez, Nasri Asfora (National Party, right), and Xiumara Castro (Libertad y Realvasion, Libre, left) are the candidates.

For polling, 5,755 polling stations have been enabled and 18,293 polling stations are enabled, which will remain open from 07:00 local time (13:00 GMT) to 16:00 (23:00 GMT).

Health protocols specify the mandatory use of masks, the maintenance of distance in buildings, and the disinfection of the polling area and electoral supplies after each vote.

In this process, the biometric identification system (fingerprint registration) will be used for the first time, and will be implemented to avoid identity theft or duplication of voices.

The National Electoral Council of Honduras has accredited about 7,000 observers, 400 of them from other countries, to monitor the fluidity and transparency of the process.