Central America

Costa Rican president Rodrigo Chaves faces new campaign finance accusation amid political tensions

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves faces a new accusation involving alleged irregularities in the financing of his electoral campaign, a development that has intensified his confrontation with Attorney General Carlo Díaz and even led him to lead a march demanding Díaz’s removal.

“We came to change the rules of the game, to give you (the people) back one of the three branches of government, I assure you this with all my heart and without fear of Carlo Díaz’s threats and his absurd accusations against me,” the president said during his weekly press conference on Wednesday.

On Monday, the Attorney General’s Office filed an accusation with the Supreme Court against Chaves, First Vice President Stephan Brunner, Foreign Minister Arnoldo André, and four ruling party deputies: Pilar Cisneros, Luz Mary Alpízar, Paola Nájera, and Waldo Agüero. The request included lifting the immunity of those involved to open a trial.

According to an investigation launched in 2022, two parallel financing structures were allegedly used during the Social Democratic Progress Party (PPSD) campaign: a private trust and personal bank accounts under the name of a woman surnamed Agüero, who faces a separate criminal proceeding. Both mechanisms reportedly operated outside the control of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and the party’s treasury.

Costa Rican law prohibits such maneuvers. The Electoral Code establishes that contributions to parties or campaigns must come only from identified national individuals and be channeled through official means.

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This is the second time the Attorney General’s Office has requested the Supreme Court to lift the president’s immunity. In April, another accusation was filed against Chaves for extortion, related to alleged irregular hiring of communication services funded by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).

The Supreme Court must decide whether to forward the accusations to Congress, where the possible lifting of presidential immunity would be debated. No deadline has been set for this decision.

During his administration, Chaves has maintained a tense relationship with Congress, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, and the Judiciary, whom he has frequently accused of political bias and inefficiency.

The confrontation with Attorney General Díaz has been particularly hostile. In March, the president led a demonstration against Díaz, whom he called a “neighborhood bully” and a “puppet.” After the march, the attorney general denounced a “worrying attack on the separation of powers” and noted that the protest was linked to ongoing investigations against the president.

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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.