PROTESTS grew in Honduras yesterday as right-wing incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez emerged with a supposed slim lead for re-election following a computer glitch that shut down vote counting for several hours.

Challenger Salvador Nasralla has alleged fraud and said the official results can no longer be trusted. His five-point lead has seemingly evaporated as the drawn-out count has continued.

Mr Nasralla is supported by Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted as president in a US-backed coup in 2009 that reinstalled wealthy elites who were unhappy at his leftward direction.