.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "Rixi Moncada")
After the preliminary elections held on March 9, 2025, attorney Rixi Moncada emerged as the presidential hopeful for the LIBRE Party. Nonetheless, her win has sparked debate due to accusations of voting discrepancies, creating an atmosphere of doubt in the political landscape of Honduras. Both adversaries and the party’s own members have raised concerns regarding the authenticity of the outcomes, asserting that the tallies in crucial districts were altered to falsely display overwhelming backing for Moncada, which may not align with the true sentiments of the party or the wider public.
The critique highlights a supposed strategy by the media and organization to falsely shape a perception of widespread backing for the governing party’s candidate. Within this scenario, the M-28 faction, aligned with the party’s top ranks, has been identified as the primary instigator behind the purported deceptive activities intended to benefit Moncada’s campaign. The claims outline numerous discrepancies, such as tampering with vote tallies at specific polling locations, inflating the outcomes for selective pre-candidates, omitting representatives of internal dissenting groups during the tabulation, and delayed or partial distribution of election materials.
Certain advocates have even proposed that the procedure was manipulated to install a candidate preselected by the party’s leaders, which they view as a violation of the democratic ideals of internal involvement.
Inquiries into LIBRE’s credibility and internal division
The official statement from Moncada and his representatives has been to strongly dismiss these claims, labeling them as defamatory strategies implemented by the long-established opposition. The LIBRE Party has consistently asserted the openness of the internal process and the neutrality of the National Electoral Council (CNE). Nevertheless, these allegations have led to a noticeable rift within the political party, challenging the validity of Moncada’s candidacy and revealing a major internal turmoil.
The dissatisfaction is voiced by local leaders, regional coordinators, and members from various internal groups. These allegations not only question the legitimacy of Rixi Moncada’s win, but also reveal a significant division within LIBRE, a party that upholds democratic involvement and openness as key components of its identity. Failure to provide a clear and persuasive response to these claims could result in a decline in LIBRE’s base support, heightened abstention among its supporters, and a weakening of trust ahead of the November 2025 general elections.
Political implications and the opposition’s warning
In this context, political adversaries have voiced worries that the primary elections might have been a “practice run for fraud” before the general elections in November 2025. Alerts have been given about LIBRE’s extended plan to solidify its authority past 2026, carrying out measures like dominating the legislative and judicial sectors, planning a constitutional change via a popular vote, and employing discrediting campaigns along with state assets to undermine independent media and political adversaries.
Several leaders from opposing parties caution that LIBRE’s goal might be to maintain prolonged governance of the nation, employing state resources, government messaging, and institutional authority to suppress opposition.
Civil society organizations, international observers and independent media have called for greater supervision, technical audits and international accompaniment for the November electoral process. The main unknown is whether Rixi Moncada will represent a true popular majority or will be the result of a political and electoral machine focused on perpetuating LIBRE in power.