US President Donald Trump praised conservative Honduran counterpart Nasry Asfura after a meeting at his Mar-a-Lago resort, with Asfura vowing on Sunday to be Washington’s “most reliable strategic partner.”
Asfura, a businessman and former mayor of the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa, was sworn in last week after winning the November elections with Trump’s backing.
Trump had threatened to cut aid to Central America’s poorest country if his “friend” was defeated.
“I had a very important meeting with my friend, and the President of Honduras, Nasry ‘Tito’ Asfura,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Once I gave him my strong Endorsement, he won his Election! Tito and I share many of the same America First Values. We have a close partnership on Security.”
For his part, Asfura described his meeting at Mar-a-Lago as “productive” and said the two leaders agreed to boost investment and trade.
“Honduras is ready to grow, attract investment, and establish itself as the most reliable strategic partner of the United States in the region, with stability, security, and a clear vision of prosperity,” Asfura said in a post on X early on Sunday.
The Honduran presidency released a photo of the two leaders smiling and giving a thumbs-up.
Asfura had already met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on January 12, after which the two countries announced plans for a free trade deal.