Central America

Nicaragua dissident jailed under Ortega dies in prison: family

AFP

Former guerrilla Hugo Torres Jimenez, one of 46 opposition figures jailed since last year by the Nicaraguan government of President Daniel Ortega, died on Saturday, his family said in a statement.

He was 73.

The statement offered few details on Torres’ death but expressed his children’s “deep pain over the death of our beloved father.” It was released by the opposition coalition Blue and White National Unity (UNAB), of which Torres was a member.

A former Sandinista dissident, Torres had been held since June 13, 2021, in El Chipote prison, before being transferred in December to a hospital for treatment, sources said.

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Torres had been vice president of the opposition Democratic Renovation Union (Unamos), formerly the Sandinista Renovation Movement, established in 1995 by militants unhappy with Ortega’s leadership.

A retired army general, Torres in 1974 undertook a risky operation to free a group of jailed politicians — including Ortega — being held under the Somoza dictatorship.

But Ortega, who himself has grown increasingly dictatorial as president and as head of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, has accused dozens of opposition figures of conspiring against his government with US backing.

Torres was hailed on Saturday as a “hero” by ex-guerrilla and exiled Sandinista dissident Monica Baltodano.

She told news website 100% Noticias that Torres was “a true hero of the struggles against the dictatorships that have dominated Nicaragua — the dictatorship of Somoza and now the dictatorship of Ortega, which is a brutal and criminal dictatorship.”

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Unamos in January had reported that Torres’ health was deteriorating and demanded details from the government. It offered none.

The Washington-based Organization of American States said it “considers the fact of keeping political prisoners, with terminal illnesses and without necessary medical assistance, an abominable act.”

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that for months Torres was “denied freedom in inhumane conditions and subjected to a legal process with no guarantees.”

Torres was one of 46 opposition figures detained last year, most of them before November elections in which Ortega was re-elected for a fourth consecutive term. Among the 46 were seven who had planned to run against Ortega.

All have been accused of undermining national integrity and promoting foreign interference in Nicaragua.

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Eighteen have been found guilty in the past two weeks, and seven have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight to 13 years.

Central America

Laura Fernández Says She Will ‘Never’ Allow Authoritarianism in Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s president-elect, right-wing leader Laura Fernández, said she will “never” allow authoritarianism under her government, in her first speech after winning Sunday’s presidential election.

Fernández, the political heir of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, has been accused by her opponents of seeking to steer the country toward authoritarian rule through her hardline proposals against drug trafficking and plans to reform state institutions.

“I, as the new president of the Republic, will never allow authoritarianism or arbitrariness—things that no one wants in Costa Rica,” Fernández said to cheers from her supporters gathered at a hotel in the capital.

The 39-year-old political scientist criticized her rivals for centering their campaign on what she described as a narrative of “authoritarianism and dictatorship.”

“They tried to scare voters, but the electorate did not fall into the trap,” she said.

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Without offering details, Fernández acknowledged that her administration will seek to change the country’s “political rules of the game,” in what she described as a necessary step for Costa Rica, one of Latin America’s most stable democracies.

Central America

Costa Rica Goes to the Polls as Voters Choose Continuity or Change

Costa Ricans head to the polls today to elect the president of the republic and 57 members of the Legislative Assembly for the 2026–2030 term. Voters must choose between continuing the political project of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves by supporting the ruling right-wing candidate Laura Fernández, or opting for a change in direction proposed by the opposition.

Fernández, representing the Pueblo Soberano Party (PPS), leads opinion polls with close to 40% of voting intention, bolstered by the outgoing president’s approval rating, which exceeds 50%. Chaves is barred from seeking immediate re-election under Costa Rican law.

Trailing far behind is Álvaro Ramos of the National Liberation Party (PLN), with less than 10% support. He is followed by Claudia Dobles of the Citizen Agenda Coalition (CAC), Fabricio Alvarado of New Republic (NR), and Ariel Robles of the Broad Front (FA), each polling between 3% and 5%. Undecided voters, who account for more than 30% of the electorate, could determine the outcome of the presidential race or force a runoff.

In a statement, Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) reaffirmed its commitment to transparent and secure elections. “As has been the case for more than 76 years of democratic life in our country, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal guarantees all Costa Ricans that the national elections to be held this Sunday, February 1, will meet the highest standards of security and absolute transparency, allowing us to continue enjoying electoral processes in peace and freedom,” the institution said.

Authorities reported that 53,251 party observers will take part in the electoral process. Of these, 12,472 belong to the Social Christian Unity Party, 11,524 to Pueblo Soberano, 10,451 to the PLN, and 4,141 to the Citizen Agenda Coalition, among others. In addition, six political parties have sworn in 7,520 members of polling station boardsdeployed nationwide.

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Central America

U.S. and Guatemala Sign Trade Deal Granting Zero Tariffs to Most Exports

The United States signed a reciprocal trade agreement with Guatemala on Friday, under which 70.4% of Guatemalan exports will enter the U.S. market tariff-free.

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo highlighted the importance of the agreement, stating that it creates a framework of cooperation, certainty, and new opportunities for producers, workers, and entrepreneurs in the country. His remarks were shared in a video published on his official social media channels.

In 2025, 30.3% of Guatemala’s total exports were destined for the United States, amounting to approximately $4.3 billion. As a result, the agreement is expected to directly benefit key sectors of the Guatemalan economy, including agribusiness, manufacturing, and the textile industry.

“Today we have taken another step toward consolidating a country that, when it moves forward united, generates confidence, attracts investment, and creates real development opportunities for all its people,” Arévalo added.

The agreement with Guatemala follows a similar trade deal signed by the United States with El Salvador on Thursday, which includes the elimination of a 10% tariff on Salvadoran imports.