IN HONDURAS

as a move to stifle protests over a presidential vote count that stalled for a fifth day without leaving a clear winner.

President Juan Orlando Hernandez has clawed back a thin lead over his challenger, TV-host Salvador Nasralla, but thousands of disputed votes could still swing the outcome.

Since last Sunday’s election, at least one protester has died, over 20 people were injured and more than 100 others were arrested for looting after opposition leaders accused the government of trying to steal the election by manipulating the vote count.

Under the decree, all local authorities must submit to the authority of the army and national police, which are authorised to break up blockades of roads, bridges and public buildings.

A 10-day dusk-to-dawn curfew started Friday night.

In the widely criticised vote count, Nasralla’s early lead on Monday was later reversed in favour of President Hernandez, leading Nasralla to call for protests.

The count stalled on Friday evening when the electoral tribunal said it would hand-count the remaining ballot boxes that had irregularities, comprising nearly six per cent of the vote.

The electoral tribunal said it was set to resume the vote count at 9am local time yesterday, but Nasralla’s centre-left alliance has refused to recognise the tribunal’s authority, unless it recounts three regions with alleged vote irregularities. Reuters