Tight election in Honduras focuses on drug violence

By Gabriel Stargardter and Gustavo Palencia TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduras is heading for a close presidential vote on Sunday as the wife of an ousted leftist leader fends off a late surge from the ruling party heavyweight and both vow a crackdown on drug violence that has made the country the world's murder capital. Xiomara Castro led in polls for much of this year before conservative National Party candidate Juan Hernandez, Honduras' most powerful politician, nosed ahead of her in late October. Many privately tip Hernandez to win, but the contest remains too close to call and surveys put the two contenders in a statistical tie. Castro's bid is widely seen as an effort by her husband and former president, Manuel Zelaya, to make a political comeback.

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