Nasry (“Tito”) Asfura, the president-elect of Honduras who has signaled support for Israel, is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, D.C., on Monday.
Asfura, head of the National Party of Honduras and grandson of Palestinian Christians, was endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated that the United States would “not be throwing good money after bad” if Asfura did not win. He was declared the president-elect on Nov. 30 by a narrow margin over Salvador Nasralla, a former Honduran vice president and candidate from the Liberal Party who is also of Palestinian descent.
The Trump administration congratulated Asfura after the results were certified, with Rubio commending Asfura’s commitment to strengthening the U.S.-Honduras partnership and his “advocacy of U.S. strategic objectives,” including cooperation on security, migration and economic issues.
In December, Trump pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández, a former Honduran president and leader of the National Party. Hernández, who was a strong supporter of Israel during his two presidential terms, avoided a 45-year prison sentence for drug trafficking under the pardon.
Asfura, a construction industry magnate and former mayor of the country’s capital of Tegucigalpa, takes office on Jan. 27, succeeding outgoing president Xiomara Castro.
As part of his diplomatic agenda, Asfura is also set to visit Israel on Jan. 17, where he is expected to meet with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. During that trip, he is scheduled to visit the Western Wall and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial.
