Brace yourselves, folks—Washington has just dropped a diplomatic hammer on two Honduran election officials accused of meddling in a critical vote count.

Under the Trump administration’s watchful eye, visa restrictions have been slapped on two members of Honduras’ leftist LIBRE party, amid a presidential election mess that’s dragged on for nearly 20 days without an official result, Newsmax reported. 

This saga kicked off with a tightly contested presidential race in Honduras, where conservative Nasry Asfura of the National Party clings to a razor-thin lead at 40.24% with 99.85% of votes counted.

Close Election Sparks Controversy in Honduras

Hot on Asfura’s heels is Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party with 39.64%, while LIBRE’s Rixi Moncada trails at 19.12% and refuses to concede.

The vote count stalled for over a week before a special revision of 2,792 ballot boxes was ordered to address alleged errors and inconsistencies.

Enter the Trump administration, which had already thrown its weight behind Asfura before the election, drawing sharp criticism for perceived interference in Latin American affairs.

Visa Restrictions Target Leftist Officials

Now, the U.S. has revoked the visa of Mario Morazán, a magistrate of the Electoral Justice Tribunal, and denied a visa to Marlon Ochoa of the National Electoral Council.

The stated reason? Interference in the special vote count that’s supposed to bring clarity to this electoral quagmire.

“The United States will not tolerate actions that undermine our national security and our region’s stability,” a statement from the administration declared. Well, that’s a bold line in the sand, but let’s be honest—when has Washington ever shied away from flexing muscle in its backyard?

Trump’s Aggressive Stance in Latin America

“We will consider all appropriate measures to deter those impeding the vote count in Honduras,” the statement continued. If that doesn’t sound like a warning shot to leftist forces in the region, what does?

Critics might argue this is just another chapter in Trump’s playbook of supporting right-wing allies while cracking down on progressive adversaries across Latin America.

Let’s not forget the eyebrow-raising pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was serving a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking in a U.S. court—hardly a move to win hearts and minds among those crying foul over U.S. meddling.

Election Uncertainty Fuels Regional Tensions

Back to the election: nearly 20 days in, and Hondurans are still waiting for a final tally, a delay that only fuels distrust in the process.

While the special count trudges along, the narrow gap between Asfura and Nasralla keeps tensions sky-high, and Moncada’s refusal to accept the numbers adds more fuel to the fire.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about visas or vote counts—it’s about whether the U.S. should be playing referee in a sovereign nation’s democracy, even if the intent is to ensure stability. The Trump administration’s actions may be well-meaning to some, but they risk deepening the perception of an overreaching giant in a region already wary of outside influence.