Marco Lobo, a congressman from the Freedom and Refoundation Party (Libertad y Refundación – Libre, in Spanish), confirmed Ochoa’s exit, stating that the magistrate will initiate an asylum process abroad. Ochoa believes his life is in imminent danger due to his unwavering stance against the alleged electoral manipulations.

“There is clear evidence that he wants to be hurt, so he has decided to leave and start a political asylum procedure”, declared Marco Lobo.

The Counselor’s departure coincides with a political trial approved by the National Congress, which is predominantly controlled by right-wing factions. The legislative body is seeking the removal of both Ochoa and Mario Morazán, the representative to the Electoral Justice Tribunal, both of whom are affiliated with the progressive Freedom and Refoundation Party. This move is widely seen as an attempt to silence dissenting voices and consolidate power following the contentious 2025 elections.

The Parliament, controlled by right-wing parties, voted 91 to authorize the impeachment proceedings against the two officials. Congressman Lobo emphatically declared that there is clear evidence of plans to harm Magistrate Ochoa, which ultimately drove his decision to leave the country. “There is clear evidence that they want to harm him, which is why he has made the decision to leave and initiate an asylum process”, he expressed.

Text reads: “They are preparing the return of the boss; I am a witness and they will not silence me.”

Days prior, Ochoa had announced his refusal to participate in the Congressional political trial, asserting that the process lacked impartiality and that its outcome was predetermined. He accused the “corrupt and bipartisan right-wing” of using the trial to conceal the electoral fraud that allegedly occurred during the 2025 general elections, after exposing alleged irregularities, electoral fraud and United States interference.

In a public statement addressed to the citizenry, Ochoa declared that he does not recognize the legitimacy of those who have already condemned him, arguing that appearing before the Legislature would be tantamount to endorsing a biased process, which he characterized as a “brutal offense against Honduran democracy.”

The Freedom and Refoundation Party’s legislative bloc condemned the proceedings as a “political lynching” that disregards institutional due process. These parliamentarians warned that such judicial actions are steering Honduras towards a new dictatorship, drawing parallels to the constitutional breakdown that occurred in 2009. That historical event, often referred to as a coup d’état, saw the removal of then-President Manuel Zelaya, creating a precedent for political instability and raising fears of a repeat of unconstitutional power shifts.

Ochoa revealed that the threats intensified after his refusal to endorse electoral results that he deemed illegitimate. He cited fraudulent manipulations within the data transmission system and external interference aimed at imposing a decision contrary to the sovereign will of the Honduran people. This alleged U.S. interference, a recurring theme in Latin American politics, highlights concerns about external influence undermining national self-determination.

For its part, the Freedom and Refoundation Party has declared a state of “legislative insurrection” to denounce the encirclement of its representatives in electoral bodies. The organization maintains that the right-wing Government of Nasry Asfura seeks to silence key witnesses to the technical anomalies detected during the general scrutiny of the votes.

This development underscores the escalating tensions between progressive and right-wing forces within the country, raising international concerns about the state of Honduran democracy.

El 8 de febrero de 1904, Manuel Bonilla fundador del Partido Nacional disolvió el Congreso y encarceló diputados por no someterse.

Hoy, Tomás Zambrano sigue ese camino: pretende silenciar a la oposición, imponer ley mordaza y robar salarios por protestar.

No es patrón de… pic.twitter.com/WKx2EZpeis

— Partido Libre (@PartidoLibre) April 16, 2026

Text reads: “On February, 8, 1904, Manuel Bonilla, founder of the National Party, dissolved the Congress and imprisoned deputies for not submitting. Today, Tomás Zambrano is following that path: he intends to silence the opposition, impose a gag law and steal wages for protesting. He is nobody’s patron. Deputies represent the people, and they have to defend them.

When the Constitution is violated for revenge with political trials and power is concentrated, absolutism is born that corrupts looting and pillaging with impunity. When a people is denied the right to protest, it intentionally opens the way for unwanted violence!”

Author: Laura V. Mor

Source: Agencies

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