Honduras’ New President Signals Clear Pro-Israel Stance from Day One

Minutes after his official inauguration, Honduras’ new president, Nasry Asfura, chose to send a striking, unmistakable diplomatic message. His very first act in office yesterday (Tuesday) was to receive the credentials of Israel’s ambassador to Honduras, Nadav Goren. The gesture carries significant weight on the international stage, as the Israeli ambassador was the first foreign envoy to be formally received by the new president.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem views the move as a clear signal of Asfura’s priorities and his desire to strengthen ties with Israel from the very start of his presidency.

Son of Bethlehem; Friend of Israel

Asfura’s background is no less surprising than his early move in office. He is the son of a Christian Palestinian family that emigrated from Bethlehem to Honduras. Despite his roots as a Palestinian, he is considered one of the most openly pro-Israel leaders in Latin America. In both Jerusalem and Washington, Asfura is seen as a key figure in returning Honduras to the pro-Western and pro-American camp, after a period of cooler relations under former President Xiomara Castro.

In the November 2025 elections, Asfura narrowly defeated his main rival Salvador Nasralla by a margin of less than one percent. His victory marked the return of the political right to power in Honduras after four years of left-wing rule, and it was welcomed in Jerusalem as a particularly positive diplomatic development.

For Israel, this was not merely an internal political shift in Honduras, but a strategic change of direction in a country considered influential in the region.

Minutes after being sworn in as President of Honduras, @titoasfura chose his first act: receiving the credentials of Israel’s Ambassador, @Nadavgoren – the first ambassador to receive this rare honor, signaling a strong commitment to 🇮🇱🤝🇭🇳 relations. pic.twitter.com/o9k7YmJBEg

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) January 28, 2026

Asfura, 67, is widely known in Honduras by his nickname “Tito.” He studied civil engineering, left his studies, and went on to build a construction empire. He entered politics in the 1990s and was elected mayor of the capital, Tegucigalpa in 2014, where he earned a reputation as a hard-charging builder of infrastructure.

His career was not without controversy. His name surfaced in the Pandora Papers, and in 2020 he was accused of embezzling tens of millions of dollars in public funds. Those charges were later dropped however, clearing the way for his successful run for the presidency.

The Jerusalem Connection

A clear sign of his new foreign-policy direction came immediately after his election victory. One of the first phone calls Asfura received was from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. The two agreed to deepen bilateral ties, and Sa’ar invited the president-elect for an official visit to Israel.

That visit took place even before his inauguration. During his stay in Jerusalem, Asfura met with President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu said that Israel and Honduras were “reshaping their relations in line with their traditional friendship, but with an eye to the future,” adding: “As far as Israel is concerned, the sky is the limit.”

Asfura replied, “I am convinced that in everything you mentioned, we can implement and even lead together—for the sake of peace, fraternity, and the future of our countries.”

The American Angle

Asfura’s victory also received backing from the United States. President Donald Trump expressed public support for him as part of a broader effort to return Latin American countries to the pro-American and pro-Western camp. That support further strengthens the new president’s standing on the international stage.

The US Department of State’s Office of the Spokesperson issued the following statement: “Today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Honduran President-elect Nasry “Tito” Asfura.  Secretary Rubio congratulated President-elect Asfura on his electoral victory and commended the Honduran people for their strong democratic participation in Honduras’s November 30 elections.

In Israel’s diplomatic establishment, Asfura is seen as more than making a symbolic gesture. He is viewed as a potential strategic partner, as the sequence of his steps in office – from the call with Foreign Minister Sa’ar, through the pre-inauguration visit to Jerusalem, to receiving Israel’s ambassador as his first official act – draws a clear line of policy.

For Israel, this marks the opening of a new chapter in relations with Honduras, one built on political closeness, trust, and cooperation, and on a president who does not merely speak of friendship, but acts on it from his very first moment in office.

The unapologetic pro-Israeli stance of the new President is emblematic of the steadfast Christian support for the Jewish nation and the Land of the Bible; a symbol of hope for peace among nations, even between such entrenched enemies as Palestinians and Israelis; and a portent of future times prophesized in Scripture:

“Many peoples and powerful nations will come
to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty
and to entreat him…
In those days ten people from all the languages and the nations 
will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say,

‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”

(Zechariah 8:22-23 NIV)