Leftist claims victory in Honduran vote, setting up showdown

Leftist opposition candidate Xiomara Castro has claimed victory in Honduras’ presidential election, setting up a showdown with the National Party which says its candidate has won a vote that could end the conservative party’s 12 years in power

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Leftist opposition candidate Xiomara Castro claimed victory in Honduras’ presidential election Sunday, setting up a showdown with the National Party which said its candidate had won a vote that could end the conservative party’s 12 years in power.

“We win! We win!” Castro, Honduras' former first lady who is making her third presidential run, told cheering Liberty and Re-foundation party supporters. ”Today the people have made justice. We have reversed authoritarianism.”

Honduras’ long-ruling National Party announced on its Twitter account that its candidate, Tegucigalpa Mayor Nasry Asfura, had won.

But preliminary results released late Sunday by the Electoral Council showed that with 31% of voting stations counted Castro had 53% of the votes and Asfura 34%. The council said turnout was more than 68%.