Central America

Saúl Méndez, Panama’s top construction union chief, takes refuge amid political turmoil

The leader of Panama’s largest construction union, Saúl Méndez, has taken refuge in the Bolivian Embassy amid an indefinite strike led by the union and investigations into money laundering involving at least one of its leaders.

Two sources told EFE on Wednesday that Méndez, general secretary of the National Union of Workers in the Construction Industry and Similar Trades (Suntracs), is currently a refugee at the Bolivian diplomatic mission.

According to available official information, Méndez is not under indictment in any judicial case in Panama.

Suntracs is leading, along with the leftist public sector teachers’ union, an indefinite strike and street protests that began a month ago in opposition to a social security reform already in effect, as well as other initiatives by President José Raúl Mulino’s government. Mulino has accused the construction union of being a “mafia” and pursuing a “hidden agenda” aimed at destabilizing the country.

Strikes in public education and construction have been irregular, while some Suntracs members have led street protests, some violent, including stone-throwing and clashes with police, resulting in injuries and arrests.

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On Tuesday, the Panamanian Autonomous Cooperative Institute (Ipacoop) ordered the cancellation of the legal status of the Suntracs Multiple Services Cooperative, R.L., citing at least “14 findings” evidencing alleged failures to comply with anti-money laundering controls or preventive measures.

On May 16, a court ordered the preventive detention of Suntracs leader Jaime Caballero on suspicion of money laundering.

“They are trying to suffocate us because they cannot control us, nor do we kneel. They want to erase what we represent—dignity, organization, and struggle. But they are mistaken. SUNTRACS does not disappear. SUNTRACS resists,” the union wrote on its social media on Wednesday, without yet referring to Méndez’s asylum.

Central America

Panama seizes over 1,200 drug packages in container bound for Lithuania

Authorities in Panama reported the seizure of 1,251 packages of suspected drugs hidden inside a shipping container bound for Lithuania, just days after intercepting another shipment of similar size headed to the same destination.

The Panama Public Prosecutor’s Office stated on social media that, through its Colón Drug Prosecutor’s Office and in coordination with the National Anti-Drug Directorate, authorities carried out the operation. The illicit substance was discovered inside a container scheduled for export.

Last Friday, officials also seized 1,506 packages of drugs in another container destined for Lithuania.

While authorities have not specified the type or exact weight of the seized substance, drug packages in Panama typically weigh around one kilogram each, and cocaine remains the most commonly confiscated narcotic in the country.

So far this year, Panamanian authorities have reported multiple drug seizures. Among them was a shipment of 5,356 packages intercepted on January 17, when agents of the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) stopped a vessel near the Pearl Islands archipelago in the Pacific.

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According to official figures, in 2025 Panama seized 129 tons of drugs and 47.8 tons of chemical precursors, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat international drug trafficking.

Central America

Guatemala narrows emergency measures to hardest-hit gang violence areas

The government of Guatemala has narrowed the scope of its state of emergency to the areas most affected by gang violence, Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda announced on Thursday.

The measure comes two months after coordinated attacks attributed to the Barrio 18 left 11 police officers dead.

President Bernardo Arévalo initially imposed a state of siege in mid-January following the violence, which was reportedly in retaliation for government intervention in three prisons where gang leaders had staged uprisings.

That measure, which allowed arrests without a warrant, expired after one month. It was then replaced by a less restrictive “state of prevention,” alongside an increased security deployment in Guatemala City and surrounding areas.

According to Villeda, the state of prevention has been extended for two additional weeks but will now apply primarily to the central department of Guatemala — home to the capital — and Escuintla, which have recorded the highest levels of homicides and criminal activity.

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“We need to continue these joint operations between the police and the military to maintain control,” the minister said.

The measure will also remain in effect in border departments including Petén, San Marcos and Huehuetenango, which border Mexico, as well as Izabal, which borders Honduras and Belize, in an effort to prevent the entry of criminal groups linked to drug trafficking.

Villeda added that in the past two weeks, homicides have dropped by 25% and extortion cases by 33% compared to the same period in 2025.

Central America

Costa Rica closes embassy in Cuba, citing human rights concerns

The government of Costa Rica announced on Wednesday the closure of its embassy in Cuba, a move that signals a further deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Foreign Minister Arnoldo André confirmed that Costa Rica has also requested the withdrawal of Cuban diplomatic personnel from San José, leaving only consular representation in place.

According to André, the decision is driven by concerns over the worsening human rights situation on the island, including increased repression against citizens and opposition figures.

He also noted that Cuba’s ongoing economic and social crisis—marked by shortages of food, medicine, and basic services—has made the operation of the embassy increasingly difficult.

President Rodrigo Chaves backed the measure, stating that his administration does not recognize the legitimacy of Cuba’s political system.

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In response, the Cuban government rejected the decision, calling it a “unilateral” move taken under pressure from United States.

“Under pressure from the United States, Costa Rica has limited its relations with Cuba to consular matters,” Cuba’s Foreign Ministry said, describing the action as “arbitrary.”

Despite the diplomatic setback, Cuban authorities stated that historical ties between the two nations would endure.