Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Pope prays that Honduras peacefully solves political crisis

Pope Francis

Alessandra Tarantino / AP

Framed by a Christmas tree, Pope Francis delivers his message during the Angelus noon prayer he delivered from his studio window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Sunday Dec. 3, 2017.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis says he is praying that Honduras can peacefully overcome a violent political crisis.

Deadly protests have erupted in the Central American nation over a delayed vote count in a disputed presidential election.

Francis told people in St. Peter's Square on Sunday he was remembering Hondurans in his prayers in a special way so they "can in a peaceful manner overcome the current difficult moment."

The main opposition candidate on Saturday called for the vote to be held again, after clashes between protesters and troops, and the government imposed a dawn-to-dusk curfew.

Both incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez and rival, television personality Salvador Nasralla, have claimed victory in the Nov. 26 election. At least one person has died in clashes.