TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Guardian reported on Friday (Dec. 19) that Taiwan (台灣) has emerged as a surprising winner in the Honduran presidential election, which took place on Nov. 30 but remains unresolved due to technical failures and allegations of fraud. Both leading candidates have pledged to sever diplomatic ties with China and reestablish relations with Taiwan, reversing the 2023 diplomatic shift by current President Xiomara Castro.
In the report, Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla criticized the lack of benefits from Honduras' relationship with China, while his rival, Nasry Asfura, advocated for stronger ties with Taiwan. The Guardian highlighted Taiwan's diplomatic resurgence in Latin America, driven by U.S. pressure, unfulfilled Chinese promises, and corruption scandals.
Evan Ellis, a professor at the U.S. Army War College, told the Guardian that China's failure to deliver on promises led to a collapse in Honduran shrimp exports. He also pointed out delays or cancellations in Chinese infrastructure projects in Panama. Corruption scandals have further tainted China's image, with revelations about former Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela's family business receiving orders from Chinese diplomats and admissions of bribery by the head of Paraguay's Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
Under U.S. pressure, President Trump threatened to reclaim the Panama Canal, leading Panama to halt its Belt and Road Initiative renewal and sue Chinese-owned ports. Ellis emphasized that Caribbean nations should not align with China.