Honduras election row drags on with no winner

Bloomberg

Honduras is headed into its third week without a winner in presidential elections amid a political standoff between the two leading candidates and few signs its worst crisis in a decade is about to end.
The Central American country of 9 million has slipped into a full-blown constitutional emergency since a chaotic November 26 election ended in claims that President Juan Orlando Hernandez was trying to win re-election by stealing the vote. Widespread demonstrations have shut down parts of major cities and blocked highways. In a report, Amnesty International said security forces chased, arrested and used tear gas and firearms against protesters. At least 14 people were killed, most from gunshot wounds, and dozens were injured, the report said.
Although Hernandez clings to a 52,445-vote lead with all votes tallied, the main opposition party, led by candidate Salvador Nasralla, refuses to recognise the results, claiming the process has been tainted by a corrupt electoral commission. Nasralla is calling for international arbiters, led by the European Union and Organization of American States, to oversee a full recount or even run a new election. Hernandez, who has dismissed the fraud claims, endorsed an electoral council plan to recount of votes form some 5,000 polling stations. By law, a winner has to be declared by December 26. Still, observers saw little signs the standoff will end then.