Tegucigalpa, Honduras - Nasry Asfura, a far-right businessman backed by US President Donald Trump, was controversially declared winner of a Honduran presidential election marred by delays and allegations of fraud.

The national electoral council CNE, made up of three members, said the 67-year-old defeated fellow conservative TV personality Salvador Nasralla by less than one percentage point.

But the decision to announce the result before the official recount was completed sparked outrage and criticism, with even the normally-conservative Organization of American States expressing its "regret."

Both Nasralla and the ruling Libre party have refused to recognize Asfura as the winner, with the head of Honduras' congress calling the CNE's move "completely outside the law."

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Asfura, meanwhile, promptly declared himself president.

"Honduras: I'm ready to govern. I won't let you down," he posted on X.

Within minutes of the announcement, the US welcomed the election of Asfura, saying it would help stop immigration.

"We look forward to working with his incoming administration to advance our bilateral and regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen the economic ties between our two countries," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

He called on all sides to "respect the confirmed results so that Honduran authorities may swiftly ensure a peaceful transition of authority."

Argentina's far-right president, Javier Milei, said on X that the Honduras vote amounted to "a resounding defeat of narco-socialism."

The result was announced more than three weeks after the November 30 election. The wait for the outcome has caused tensions among Hondurans, and the sluggish count has been accompanied by claims of irregularities and voter fraud.

The CNE still had until December 30 to declare a winner.

Last week, thousands of supporters of the outgoing president's leftist Libre Party staged a demonstration in the capital Tegucigalpa to protest what they claim was a fraudulent process.

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The election was also marred by blatant interference from Trump, who shockingly pardoned former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, a member of Asfura's party who was serving a 45-year prison sentence in the US for drug trafficking.

The Republican also endorsed Asfura, suggesting they could "work together to fight the narcocommunists," and warned "there will be hell to pay" if a razor-thin lead established on election day was overturned in the count.