Salvadoran News Outlet Moves to Costa Rica while Countries Battle Environmental Challenges.
Central American News
In Brief
Countries in the region have been battling environmental challenges such as forest fires. In Panama, Officials from the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente) tried to control a fire in the Cenegón del Mangle Wildlife Refuge. It is estimated that there are 300 hectares of mangroves affected. Citizens are asked to avoid the use of fire, especially at times when there are strong winds. At the same time, in Honduras, protests broke out in the Capital due to the lack of water. People from different parts of the city have reported not having access to water for several weeks. Meanwhile, the Second Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD) Council of Ministers meeting was hosted in Belize.
One of El Salvador’s well known news outlets, El Faro, relocates to Costa Rica. Óscar Martínez, the publication’s editor-in-chief, said that they are moving their headquarters because El Salvador’s government under Nayib Bukele is suppressing press freedom. Also, there have been attempts to defame, discredit, and threaten the publication and its employees. He stated that it is to avoid ‘fabricated accusations’ after 25 years of reporting on drug wars, crime, and corruption.
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The Central American News Team
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Headlines
Central America
📰CCAD Session: Belize hosted the Second Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD) Council of Ministers Meeting. It focused on climate finance and advancing the Revised Regional Framework for Achieving Development Resilient to Climate Change, fresh water security, enhancing regional technical capacity on the environment and climate change and the development of other regional policy documents. Тhе GОВ Рrеѕѕ Оffісе ѕtated that the ССАD’ѕ mіѕѕіоn іѕ tо dеvеlор еnvіrоnmеntаl соореrаtіоn аnd іntеgrаtіоn wіth thе gоаl оf іmрrоvіng thе quаlіtу оf lіfе for Central Аmеrісаns.
El Salvador
📰Mexico Detention Fire: A federal judge postponed a court hearing on Friday, April 21 for Francisco Garduño, the highest ranking government official to be charged in connection to the fire that killed 40 people in a detention center. Garduño’s defense attorney said they had received a large file of documents minutes before the hearing and requested a delay.
📰Bukele Blocks IMF: Nayib Bukele’s government blocked an appraisal report on the country’s economy from being released by the IMF. The IMF announced this week that the Bukele regime did not consent to the report on public finances and a related press release on the report. Economists say municipalities are struggling to pay their employees despite the government’s announcement that it paid back Eurobond loans to avoid a default.
📰El Faro Moves: The award-winning investigative news and analysis publication El Faro, once based in El Salvador, announced that it’s moving its administrative offices to Costa Rica. Óscar Martínez, the publication’s editor-in-chief, says they are making the move because El Salvador’s government under Nayib Bukele is suppressing press freedoms and has attempted to defame, discredit and threaten the publication and its employees.
Honduras
📰Women Displaced: Honduras faces an increase in number of internally displaced people, with women and children at the forefront. The ONU correlates the rate of displacement with violence and natural disasters. Many women find themselves in ‘limbo,’ unable to return home or establish a new and safe home for their children.
📰Parental Leave: The nation welcomes a new era with talks of a paid paternity leave for the first time in the country. An initiative to extend maternity leave from 10 to 18 weeks, as well as the introduction of paternity leave, reaches the National Congress. If passed, an additional 120 million Lempiras will be added to the current budget of 130 million Lempiras for paid leave.
📰Protests: Protest breaks out in the capital for lack of access to water. People from different neighborhoods report having gone several weeks without access to water from their homes and demand for water supplies. Protestors say they will not leave until a representative of the mayor’s office comes to them with a solution.
Costa Rica
📰El Faro Moves: The award-winning news and analysis publication El Faro, once based in El Salvador, announced that it’s moving its administrative offices to Costa Rica. Óscar Martínez, the publication’s editor-in-chief, says they’re making the move because El Salvador’s government under Nayib Bukele is suppressing press freedoms. Costa Rica is among the highest ranking countries in Latin America and the Caribbean for press freedom.
📰Organized Crime Bill: A legislative deputy with the left-wing Broad Front (FA) party says she refuses to turn back the clock on labor rights in the country in exchange for fast tracking a law against organized crime, which has a looming June 7 deadline. Deputy Priscilla Vindas Salazar (FA) said two deputies of the ruling Social Democratic Progress Party (PPSD) asked her to withdraw motions on a bill for 12-hour workdays and 4 day workweeks. The head of PPSD denounced the claims.
📰Food Security: Five universities reaffirmed their support for the defense of food security in light of recent protests by workers in the agricultural industries. Farmers are protesting Costa Rica’s potential admission to the Pacific Alliance, a trade bloc of Latin American countries, which they say would negatively impact food security.
Nicaragua
📰Opponent Kidnappings: The Ortega regime has doubled the number of opponents taken into custody by force since this month last year. Confidential reports that 39 people have been kidnapped by the government without trial this month. Human rights monitors say the situation may worsen.
📰Sanctions: The U.S. announced sanctions against two Nicaraguan judges for their role in removing the citizenship of more than 300 Nicaraguan citizens, some who were exiled to the U.S. which left them essentially stateless. The U.S. Secretary of State made the announcement of the sanctions on the anniversary of the government’s 2018 wave of violent repression.
📰Russian Visit: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Daniel Ortega and discussed the recent sanctions against officials. Ortega told Lavrov that those officials are not concerned with the sanctions in a public meeting.
Guatemala
📰Migration: The data released this Wednesday by the Guatemalan Institute of Migration (IGM) indicates that more than 25,000 Guatemalans have been deported from the United States and Mexico so far in 2023. The immigration authorities of Mexico and the United States have deported 25,621 Guatemalans from January to Wednesday, including 2,400 minors.
📰Prosecutor Trial: Former prosecutor Virginia Laparra will face a second trial and will remain in pretrial detention. The former head of the Special Prosecutor against Impunity (Feci) in Quetzaltenango, was sent to trial for a case in which she is accused of having revealed confidential information.
📰Visit to Taiwan: Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei will visit Taiwan April 24 to 26, his office said Friday, following a recent visit by Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen to Guatemala. The Guatemalan delegation will pitch the country as a destination for investment, the Guatemalan presidency said in a statement, and will tour several companies with the hopes of replicating their business model back home.
Panama
📰Forest Fires: Officials from the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente) tried to control a fire in the Cenegón del Mangle Wildlife Refuge, in París de Parita, province of Herrera. According to the entity, It is estimated that there are 300 hectares of mangroves affected.
📰Women Secretariat: The election of Ana Giselle Rosas in the Secretariat for Women is being challenged. The deputy of Cambio Democrático (CD), Ana Giselle Rosas, described the appeal filed by her opponent, the pre-candidate and mayor of Pinogana, Nadine González, as “without legal basis”.
📰Femicide: A Palestinian was arrested for the crime of femicide against Stephanie Rodriguez. The Homicide and Femicide Section of the Chiriquí Regional Prosecutor's Office, confirmed that the man was charged with the crimes of Femicide, Robbery and Deprivation of Liberty, linked to the events in which Rodriguez lost her life. The business woman was reported missing on March 30, 2022 and her body was later found in the Brazo de Gómez community, in El Valle de Las Lomas, David district, on April 4, 2022.
Belize
📰Justice for Laddie: Former Corporal of Police Kareem Martinez was found guilty for the Manslaughter of Laddie Gillett. Martinez was accused of the fatal shooting of the teenager in July 2021. Justice Moore outlined that the evidence presented in the trial confirmed that the harm caused to the minor led to his death. Additionally, there was no doubt that the accused fired the shot and that there was no lawful justification by Martinez.
📰Indigenous Land: On Tuesday, Cabinet met with a host of senior government officials to develop a draft Customary Land Tenure Policy. The policy is a crucial part of the government's obligations under the Caribbean Court of Justice’s Consent Order. Among its purposes, the Customary Land Tenure Policy is meant to outline the land rights of the Maya people.
📰Security: The Government of Belize is working with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration to expand the reach of the Belize Police Department. The department is looking to construct several new police stations across the country.
Central American Art
Pen Cayetano is one of Belize's greatest artists and musicians. He is known as the King of Punta Rock. He is a self-taught painter and musician and mostly inspired by his Garifuna heritage. The paintings are colorful, recreating the rich tapestry of Belizean life.
Good News
✨Farmer of the Year: The Ministry of Agriculture of Belize named Esmeralda Stanley the Woman Farmer of the Year. She moved from Honduras to Belize and started off as a fruit vendor.
Events
📅Calle de los Museos: Una Noche en la Calle de los Museos 2023 will be held at the Civic Center on Saturday April 29 starting at 4pm.
📅Expo Copán 2023: It takes the city of Santa Rosa de Copán, the capital of good coffee and tobacco, with cultural activities. Expo Copán will be held from April 26 to 30.
The Team
Editorial team: Mindrid Tesucum
Coordinating team: Karla Saenz Porras, Kayla Alamilla, Shahrazad Encinias
Social media: Abigail Galvez-Aguirre
News curators: Pablo Arauz (Costa Rica), Jody García (Guatemala), Kirsten Cintigo (El Salvador), Luna Cordóba (Nicaragua), Rodrigo Medina and Joan Collins (Panama), Allison Aguilar (Honduras), Oliver Martínez López (Migration)
Film curator: Robert Zuniga