TEGUCIGALPA – This Sunday, the people of Honduras face a pivotal moment as they head to the polls to choose their next president. The election race, already anticipated to be tight, has been further complicated by an unexpected intervention from former U.S. President Donald Trump, highlighting the United States’ renewed focus on Latin American affairs.

Voters will have to decide among five presidential candidates, with polls suggesting a neck-and-neck race between three main contenders. Each candidate brings distinct visions and promises to the table, hoping to address the country’s pressing issues.

Rixi Moncada, aged 60, has experience as both finance and defense secretary under the current presidency of Xiomara Castro. She is now vying for the presidency as the candidate from the social democrat LIBRE, or Liberty and Re-foundation party. Her platform focuses on “democratizing” the economy, which remains starkly divided between extreme wealth and poverty.

Salvador Nasralla, running for the fourth time, represents the conservative Liberal Party. He positions himself as an outsider, committed to tackling the deep-seated corruption plaguing the nation. Meanwhile, Nasry “Tito” Asfura, the former mayor of Tegucigalpa, seeks to uplift the conservative National Party’s image as a pro-business entity, following scandals that marred its past leadership.

Despite improvements in security over recent years, Honduras still struggles with the highest homicide rate in Central America. For many citizens, security and employment remain the primary concerns, even as the economy has seen growth during Castro’s tenure. This election could serve as a turning point, potentially reshaping the nation’s future trajectory.

The presidential contest had mostly focused on candidates trading accusations of plans to manipulate the vote until this past week when Trump endorsed Asfura while attacking his opponents. Then Trump shocked Hondurans by announcing Friday that he would pardon ex-President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was serving a 45-year sentence in a U.S. prison for helping drug traffickers moving cocaine to the United States.

It was unclear what impact Trump would have on the election, but it was the latest show of the U.S. government’s willingness to directly involve itself in the region and came at a time of already heightened tensions because of the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean and Trump’s threats against Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro.

Hondurans were left unnerved by the sudden U.S. attention, and hoping at a minimum for peaceful elections. Voters will also elect a new Congress and hundreds of mayors and city council members.