Honduran incumbent president leads presidential election as vote count wraps up

TEGUCIGALPA, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez on Monday appeared to have won re-election by securing 42.98 percent of the votes, just 1.58 points ahead of rival Salvador Nasralla with 41.39 percent, according to the latest figures from the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE).

At a press conference on Monday afternoon, TSE President David Matamoros said the tabulation was practically concluded, with just 14 of 1,006 ballots pending.

The belated results of the Nov. 26 presidential elections come after a week of sometimes violent demonstrations that led the government to suspend constitutional rights and impose a curfew for 10 days.

Supporters of Nasralla, the Opposition Alliance, protested the ruling National Party's influence over the TSE, after their candidate's initial lead was wiped out following a systems failure.

Nasralla has called for the verification of more than 5,000 disputed ballots, before he accepts the official outcome.

Matamoros was reportedly said on Monday that he was willing to meet with the opposition "to resolve the issue." Enditem