Central America

U.S. pledges to continue promoting work visas for Salvadorans

Photo: Secretaría de Prensa de la República

February 16 |

The US ambassador to El Salvador, William Duncan, promised that the US government will continue to promote the H-2 work visa program, hand in hand with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so that even more salvadorans can apply for a temporary work stay in the North American nation.

Duncan attended this Wednesday to the interview day conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with U.S. authorities in San Salvador. There are one thousand job openings in eight U.S. companies. The interviews began today and will end on Friday.

However, there will be more positions that will be opened this year. There are already more than 3,600 Salvadorans who have been able to work legally in the United States thanks to the bilateral impulse given to the H-2 visas. These individuals also have the opportunity to return for a new work season.

“These visas have the potential to change the lives of Salvadorans and is an important bet to provide legal migration options. Behind migration there is a strong desire to overcome a father, a mother, who is looking for a way to move their families forward. We are here now to tell them that there are legal and safe opportunities to work in the United States,” said Duncan.

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The government of President Nayib Bukele has been able to reduce irregular migration of Salvadorans thanks to the Labor Mobility Program and hard work to improve security.

“Temporary work visas allow them to have access to a source of income without having to put their lives or those of their families at risk,” continued the U.S. representative.

For her part, the Vice Minister of Diaspora and Human Mobility, Cindy Mariella Portal, stressed that the Salvadoran government is committed to working with nations that “respect the sovereignty of our country and contribute to the welfare of the population.”

“Our vision of the country has been reformulated thanks to the government of President Nayib Bukele, who has prioritized the generation of opportunities in the most vulnerable areas of our country,” Portal highlighted.

This 2023 the joint work for the Labor Mobility Program will continue, said both officials.

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The Foreign Ministry and USAID have created an employment exchange so that U.S. companies can choose profiles of Salvadoran workers. In addition, the Foreign Affairs team of El Salvador is in charge of managing the approach.

The job categories range from construction, bartenders, laundry, landscaping, cooks, masons, hotels, among others.

The Labor Mobility Program promotes circular migration. Portal reminded that the Foreign Ministry provides all the necessary support, including for the family of the selected person. When working in the United States, those selected also have the support of the consular network.

“To the workers, I wish them the best in their interview. If you are not selected, do not be discouraged, there will be even more opportunities. I assure you that we will continue to promote this type of initiatives hand in hand with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and I want to thank Vice Minister Portal for her commitment to this program. We also appreciate the support of U.S. companies that continue to provide jobs to Salvadorans,” said Duncan, who also reflected that working in the United States in a legal and orderly manner “does not have to be impossible.

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Central America

Guatemala Court Voids List of Candidates for Top Prosecutor Position

President of Guatemala cannot remove attorney general from office

Constitutional Court of Guatemala on Thursday annulled the shortlist of six candidates for attorney general and head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, ordering authorities to repeat the evaluation phase of the selection process.

The ruling came in response to a legal appeal filed by Raúl Amílcar Falla Ovalle, who challenged the way professional experience had been assessed for some applicants, particularly those with careers in the judiciary.

As a result of the decision, the selection process has been suspended, and the Postulation Commission must return to the stage in which the original 48 applicants were evaluated.

According to the ruling, the commission must reapply the grading criteria without automatically counting years served as judges as equivalent to the professional experience required for the position.

“The Postulation Commission for the election of the Attorney General and Head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office is ordered to reassess the applicants by strictly applying the approved grading table,” the resolution states.

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The Constitutional Court also stressed that the process must guarantee merit, competence, and suitability, while ensuring greater transparency in the assignment of scores.

Central America

U.S. extradites Iranian man over alleged sanctions evasion scheme

The United States has extradited from Panama an Iranian national accused of evading economic sanctions against Iran by illegally exporting U.S. technology. He is scheduled to appear this Monday before a court in Seattle.

Reza Dindar, 44, was extradited on April 17 after being detained in Panama since July 2025 on charges related to export control violations between 2011 and 2012, allegedly carried out through companies based in China.

The defendant appeared before a U.S. district court in Seattle, where he faces charges of violating sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran in 1995 during the administration of Bill Clinton. These sanctions prohibit the unauthorized export, re-export, or supply—directly or indirectly—of U.S. goods, technology, or services to Iran or its government.

According to the indictment, between 2010 and 2014, Dindar led the company New Port Sourcing Solutions in Xi’an, China, which allegedly concealed the procurement of U.S. products for shipment to clients in Iran.

Central America

Bukele administration surpasses 1,100 homicide-free days amid ongoing crackdown

El Salvador's PNC adds 85 days without murders and April is on track to be the safest in Salvadoran history

On Saturday, April 18, the Policía Nacional Civil (PNC) reported that no homicides were recorded in El Salvador, bringing the total to 17 days without murders.

With this update, the country has accumulated 91 homicide-free days so far in 2026. January closed with 27 such days, followed by 24 in February and 23 in March, according to police data.

During the administration of President Nayib Bukele, a total of 1,193 days without homicides have been registered. Of those, 1,079 have occurred since the implementation of the state of exception.

This extraordinary security measure has been extended 49 times by the Asamblea Legislativa de El Salvador, with the latest extension in effect from April 1 to April 30, 2026. Under the measure, more than 91,700 gang members and collaborators have been detained and prosecuted for illicit association.