Central America

Saving Guatemala’s poisonous ‘Sleeping Child’ lizard

AFP

With its sharp claws, scaly skin and venomous bite, Guatemala’s “Sleeping Child” lizard has earned itself few human friends.

One of them, forest ranger Juan Alvarado, has spent the last 17 years of his life trying to save the much-maligned creature from extinction.

Alvarado, 68, works at a forest reserve in Guatemala’s Zacapa department that is dedicated to saving the Guatemala Beaded Lizard (Heloderma charlesbogerti), dubbed Nino Dormido (Sleeping Child) by locals for its lethargic gait.

He expertly handles one specimen, rescued from a nearby village, holding it deftly by the head and body and placing it gently on the ground.

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Seemingly nonplussed, the lizard slinks off into the undergrowth.

“People used to say that if you see a Heloderma, you’re dead,” Alvarado said of the reptile’s foul reputation.

While the lizard does pack a painful bite, it is rarely deadly to humans who nevertheless view it as a mortal enemy.

Projects to save the critter include encouraging villagers to bring lost specimens to the park — sometimes in exchange for payments of food.

Its venom, explained Alvarado, was being studied for possible use in cures for diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

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Yet the creature has a fearful reputation, and individuals who stray into areas inhabited by humans are frequently killed.

Sleeping Child lizard numbers have been further decimated by human encroachment on its ever-shrinking habitat, climate change, and capture for sale as exotic pets.

At one point, they could fetch as much as $2,000 apiece in Europe, said Alvarado.

Given the multitude of threats, Guatemalan conservation officials estimate there are only about 600 individuals left in the world — an increase from 200 two decades ago.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the lizard as endangered.

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Central America

Guatemala court overturns arrest warrants against former CICIG officials

Indigenous leaders in Guatemala announce increased protests

Colombian Attorney General Luz Adriana Camargo and current ambassador to the Vatican Iván Velásquez were both members of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, a UN-backed body created to investigate corruption networks within the Guatemalan state between 2007 and 2019.

Investigations led by the CICIG resulted in the imprisonment of high-ranking officials. According to international organizations, the arrest warrants issued against Camargo and Velásquez were seen as retaliation for their anti-corruption work.

In mid-2025, an appeals court in Guatemala ordered their detention after prosecutors accused them of obstruction of justice and influence peddling, among other charges. The ruling alleged that they had favored business figures linked to Odebrecht who were under investigation.

However, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court later ruled that the lower court had “overstepped its authority” by issuing the arrest warrants illegally, according to local media reports.

Camargo and Velásquez had immunity due to their roles within a United Nations-backed entity.

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“A month before the end of the term of the corrupt attorney general, Consuelo Porras, it seems the situation is beginning to change in Guatemala,” Velásquez wrote on social media.

Porras—sanctioned by the United States Government and the European Union over allegations of corruption and anti-democratic actions—is set to leave office on May 16 unless she is reappointed by President Bernardo Arévalo, with whom she has been at odds after attempting to block his inauguration two years ago.

The CICIG was unilaterally dissolved by former Guatemalan president Jimmy Morales (2016–2020).

Central America

Honduras police launch high-impact operations amid security concerns

The director of the Policía Nacional de Honduras, Rigoberto Oseguera, presented a recent assessment of the country’s security situation and announced the deployment of high-impact operations in the department of Olancho.

The police chief identified the municipality of Choloma, in the department of Cortés, as one of the most critical areas for crime at a regional level. This comes despite an overall downward trend in violence across the Valle de Sula.

Oseguera also noted that the Central District—comprising Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela—records a high number of homicides. However, he explained that the rate remains comparatively low due to population density, although crime levels in Francisco Morazán still require special attention.

He added that the police have deployed five tactical intervention teams across key regions, including Valle de Sula, Olancho, Francisco Morazán, and the southern part of the country. In addition, authorities have identified multiple criminal incidents in the municipality of Concordia.

“It is a serious situation. These are long-standing social problems in the region, but it is time to act and not make excuses,” Oseguera emphasized.

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Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.