Country holds primaries with president eyeing re-election

The New York Times 22:06 - 12 March 2017

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez (C) declares himself winner in the primary elections of the National party, in Tegucigalpa, on March 12, 2017 Documentos siguientes . AFP Forum Mis notificaciones Usted no tiene notificaciones . Bienvenido/a . ...

Seventeen parties are fielding candidates for local councils, national and Central American lawmakers, three vice presidents and for the post of president.

Seventeen parties are fielding candidates for local councils, national and Central American lawmakers, three vice presidents and for the post of president.

Hernandez' bid for a new four-year mandate at the head of the ruling National Party is buoyed by a Supreme Court ruling two years ago discarding the term-limit clause in the 1982 constitution.

One of his challengers is likely to be Xiomara Castro, the wife of Manuel Zelaya, a former president who was ousted by the military in 2009 as he tried to change the constitution in a way many suspected was meant to let him stay in power beyond one term.

Castro is on the ballot for the leftwing Liberty and Refoundation Party, also known as Libre.

All of Honduras' 5.8 million registered voters were invited to cast votes in Sunday's primary.