Washington DC - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the Honduran president-elect to congratulate him on his election victory and commended his support of US objectives, the State Department said Friday.

Nasry Asfura, a conservative businessman backed by US President Donald Trump, was declared winner of the Honduran presidential vote Wednesday, weeks after a tight election marred by delays and allegations of fraud.

Trump's support of Asfura had fueled allegations of US interference in the election in what is one of Latin America's poorest countries.

Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesperson, said in a statement that Rubio called Asfura "to congratulate him on a clear electoral victory."

"Secretary Rubio commended President-Elect Asfura for his advocacy of US strategic objectives, including advancing our bilateral and regional security cooperation, and strengthening economic ties between our two countries," the statement said.

"Both leaders expressed their readiness to deepen cooperation and strengthen the US-Honduras partnership," it added.

Asfura's new term begins on January 27.

In the November 30 election, which was subject to prolonged recounts, Asfura prevailed with just 40.1% of the vote, narrowly beating another right-wing candidate, Salvador Nasralla, who had 39.5%, according to the official results.

Before the vote, Trump had endorsed Asfura, saying they could "work together to fight the narcocommunists," and then warned "there will be hell to pay" if the conservative candidate's razor-thin lead was overturned in the count.

Trump regularly questions the integrity of elections whose results he dislikes, including his own US presidential election defeat to Joe Biden in 2020.

On the eve of the Honduran election, Trump in a surprise move 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.