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.
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.
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
Panamanian farms take action to reduce jaguar attacks and promote coexistence
A growing number of farms in Panama are taking steps to reduce jaguar attacks on livestock, showing that coexistence between humans and these American felines is possible, a UN agency said on Friday.
The jaguar (Panthera onca) holds a prominent place in Mayan and Aztec mythology, but many farmers kill them after livestock attacks.
Ninety-six percent of jaguar deaths in Panama from 1989 to 2019 occurred following attacks on livestock, according to the NGO Fundación Yaguará. Additionally, the prized jaguar hide made them targets for poachers, causing the population to decline by 20 to 25% since 2000, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
“Conserving the jaguar is not just about protecting an iconic species; it also involves safeguarding and restoring critical ecosystems, and improving water management and biodiversity,” Juan Bello, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), told AFP.
Fundación Yaguará, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and UNEP are running a program to “reduce conflicts between communities and wildlife” in Panama.
Through this innovative project, many farms have adopted measures to reduce livestock attacks and avoid retaliatory killings of jaguars, demonstrating that coexistence is indeed possible.
Central America
Police confirm multiple victims and fire after church shooting in Grand Blanc, Michigan
A new mass shooting shook the United States this Sunday, this time at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintslocated on McCandlish Rd. in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
The Grand Blanc Township Police Department confirmed that there were multiple victims, though their identities and the extent of their injuries have not yet been disclosed. Authorities have not specified whether there are fatalities.
According to the official report, the attacker “is down” and the threat has been neutralized.
“There are multiple victims, and the shooter is down. There is NO threat to the public at this time. The church is actively on fire,” the department said in a statement.
In addition to the shooting, a fire is consuming the temple, prompting police to urge residents to avoid the area as emergency operations continue.
Central America
Bukele and Trump highlight joint fight against gangs and terrorism
U.S. President Donald Trump thanked the Government of El Salvador for its collaboration in imprisoning criminals who had entered U.S. territory irregularly. The Republican leader acknowledged the work of his ally during his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly taking place this week in New York.
“I want to thank El Salvador for the successful and professional work it has done in receiving and imprisoning so many criminals who entered our country. Under the previous administration [of Joe Biden], the numbers reached record levels, and now we are expelling them all,” Trump stated.
For his part, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele expressed his gratitude to the U.S. leader for his remarks and for officially designating the 18th Street gang as a terrorist group.
“In El Salvador, we had already taken that step by formally labeling them terrorists, and although some organizations have criticized us, the majority of their members are currently imprisoned at Cecot, the Terrorism Confinement Center, designed specifically to confront these threats,” Bukele said.
He added that both countries share a common vision in the fight against terrorism. “We are convinced that cooperation between our nations is key to eradicating these criminal structures and ensuring a future of peace and security for our people,” Bukele emphasized.
Trump plans permanent federal cuts amid partial government shutdown
Trump administration warnings prompt Bad Bunny to skip U.S. stops on World Tour
Trump pledges to restore ‘Warrior Spirit’ of U.S. military in rare meeting with Top Officers
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America4 days agoPolice confirm multiple victims and fire after church shooting in Grand Blanc, Michigan
-
International3 days agoTropical storm Imelda leaves one dead and thousands displaced in eastern Cuba
-
International2 days agoRenowned mexican stylist Miguel de la Mora fatally shot in Polanco
-
International3 days agoU.S. President: Israel will have full support if Hamas rejects peace proposal
-
International2 days agoTrump pledges to restore ‘Warrior Spirit’ of U.S. military in rare meeting with Top Officers
-
Central America3 days agoPanamanian farms take action to reduce jaguar attacks and promote coexistence
-
International4 days agoOutrage in US as Trump urges death penalty for tram murder suspect
-
International2 days agoMaduro to gain expanded defense powers in case of U.S. attack, government confirms
-
International3 days agoRussia to draft 135,000 young men for autumn military service, not Ukraine
-
International2 days agoUN Security Council expands Haiti mission into major anti-gang force
-
International3 hours agoTrump administration warnings prompt Bad Bunny to skip U.S. stops on World Tour
-
International3 hours agoTrump plans permanent federal cuts amid partial government shutdown