Central America

Journalists in Honduras face high risk amid ongoing violence and impunity

The National Commissioner for Human Rights in Honduras (CONADEH) reported on Saturday that at least 101 people working in media have been violently killed between October 2001 and May 2025, with approximately 88% of the cases remaining unsolved.

In a public statement, the state-run human rights office noted that from 2022 to early 2025, at least 11 media professionals were killed violently, but only one case has resulted in a conviction.

The victims include journalists, photographers, cameramen, editors, radio hosts, sound engineers, comedians, entertainment show hosts, news directors, sports reporters, and media owners, CONADEH added.

Between 2016 and 2024, the institution also received 133 complaints from journalists and media workers who faced threats or were victims of forced displacement. Of these cases, 75% involved threats.

The situation has escalated so significantly that half of these complaints were filed between 2022 and 2024 alone.

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According to CONADEH, Honduran journalists and media professionals face serious and complex risks, including constant threats and acts of violence, which increase their vulnerability to forced displacement.

On the eve of Honduran Journalists’ Day, observed on May 25, CONADEH highlighted the severe threats faced by members of the press in the country, calling journalism a high-risk profession.

“The first months of 2025 have been marked by a series of violations against press freedom,” the report says, “ranging from threats, physical assaults, harassment, intimidation, legal action, forced displacement, and continued impunity for crimes committed against media workers.”

The report warns that violence against journalists directly undermines freedom of expression, violating the rights to life, work, free thought, and the ability to report without fear.

CONADEH called for an end to threats and harassment against journalists and communicators, whether they come from private individuals or state agents.

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The data from 2016 to 2024 shows that of the 133 complaints, 75% were related to threats, 10% to attempted murders, 5% to attacks on property, and 5% to violent deaths of family members.

Among the alleged perpetrators, 45% were unknown individuals, 15% were members of criminal gangs, and another 15% were known to the victims, the report added.

Central America

Guatemala President Says Starlink Terminal Found Inside Prison

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo revealed on Tuesday that a Starlink terminal was discovered inside a prison in the country, highlighting corruption and the illegal introduction of advanced communication technology into the penitentiary system.

Arévalo did not specify which prison the device was found in but stressed that Starlink’s ability to connect directly to low-orbit satellites makes it particularly difficult to disrupt, posing a serious security risk.

The disclosure was made during a press conference attended by Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda and Defense Minister Henry Sáenz.

On January 6, specialized units of Guatemala’s National Civil Police (PNC), members of the Army and prison security personnel carried out Operation Sentinel at the Renovación 1 Maximum Security Prison for Men, located in Escuintla. According to the Interior Ministry, the operation aimed to reduce criminal activity, prevent illicit acts and stop the trafficking of prohibited items inside the prison.

During the operation, authorities also dismantled businesses operating near several prisons after detecting routers that were allegedly used to redirect internet signals into penitentiary facilities, according to local outlet Emisoras Unidas.

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Tensions escalated further over the weekend of January 17 and 18, when inmates affiliated with gangs staged riots in three prisons. During the unrest, they took prison guards and a psychologist hostage, demanding extra-large beds, air conditioning, transfers to other facilities and access to the internet.

Central America

Guatemala Police Arrest Prison Guard Caught in the Act of Extortion

Guatemala’s National Civil Police (PNC) arrested a suspected extortionist in the act during an operation carried out in the department of Quiché, authorities reported.

According to the police report, the arrest took place in Zone 1 of Santa Cruz del Quiché after officers responded to a citizen complaint. Agents from Precinct 71 identified the suspect as Encarnación “N”, 41, who was serving as a guard in the Guatemalan Penitentiary System.

The suspect was caught while attempting to collect a package simulating an extortion payment totaling 25,000 quetzales. Police intervened at the precise moment the money was being handed over, allowing authorities to document the crime in flagrante delicto.

Following the operation, the detainee was placed at the disposal of the competent courts to face criminal proceedings.

The PNC emphasized that such operations aim to dismantle criminal structures involved in extortion, regardless of whether those implicated are linked to state institutions, and urged the public to continue reporting these crimes through confidential channels.

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Central America

Honduras swears in conservative president Asfura after disputed election

Conservative politician Nasry Asfura assumed the presidency of Honduras on Tuesday with an agenda closely aligned with the United States, a shift that could strain the country’s relationship with China as he seeks to confront the economic and security challenges facing the poorest and most violent nation in Central America.

Asfura’s rise to power, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, marks the end of four years of left-wing rule and secures Trump another regional ally amid the advance of conservative governments in Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina.

The 67-year-old former mayor and construction businessman was sworn in during an austere ceremony at the National Congress, following a tightly contested election marred by opposition allegations of fraud and Trump’s threat to cut U.S. aid if his preferred candidate did not prevail.

Grateful for Washington’s support, Asfura—who is of Palestinian descent—traveled to the United States to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“We need to strengthen relations with our most important trading partner,” Asfura said after being declared the winner of the November 30 election by a narrow margin, following a tense vote count that lasted just over three weeks.