Central America
Four honduran presidential candidates sign anti-corruption pact ahead of 2025 elections
In a key step toward the November 2025 general elections, four presidential candidates in Honduras signed an agreement on Tuesday pledging to advance a national anti-corruption agenda. The commitments include creating an international commission, reinstating the extradition treaty with the United States, and implementing a comprehensive system for corruption prevention.
The only candidate who did not sign the declaration was Rixi Moncada of the ruling Liberty and Refoundation Party (Libre). In contrast, the pact was endorsed by Nasry Asfura (National Party), Salvador Nasralla (Liberal Party), Mario Rivera (Christian Democracy), and Nelson Ávila (PINU-SD). The initiative was spearheaded by the National Anti-Corruption Council (CNA) under the slogan “Honduras First: A Promise That Must Be Kept, A Duty That Must Be Fulfilled.”
During the event, Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla vowed to establish the International Commission Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (CICIH) within his first year in office, ensuring its autonomy and independence. “Honduras loses 100 billion lempiras —$3.81 billion— each year to theft. A single administration can steal up to $15.25 billion. I will put a stop to that,” Nasralla declared.
Mario Rivera of the Christian Democracy Party described the declaration as a “moral pact” and a “declaration of war against the corrupt and shameless individuals who have looted the country.” Nelson Ávila of PINU-SD called for the creation of a national unity government and warned against imposing “dictatorial or exclusionary attitudes.”
The agreement also calls for reactivating the extradition treaty with the U.S., currently suspended, as a key tool in combating drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. It further proposes a national anti-corruption strategy embedded in the state’s structural design, with concrete actions aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability.
CNA Director Gabriela Castellanos described the commitment as a “turning point,” stressing that the next administration “will have no margin for error or indifference.” She emphasized that leading Honduras will require “moral courage to dismantle power networks that perpetuate looting and impunity,” beyond mere technical capacity.
“The anti-corruption discourse cannot be an excuse for inefficiency in governance,” Castellanos warned, adding that the CNA will continue to expose and monitor “the looting of public resources” with names, faces, and figures.
In the November general elections, Hondurans will elect a president, three vice presidents, 128 members of Congress, 20 representatives to the Central American Parliament, and 298 municipal mayors.
Central America
Guatemala Declares Highest Alert in Areas Affected by Fuego Volcano Eruption
Guatemalan authorities declared a red alert, the highest level of danger, on Tuesday in areas affected by the eruption of the Fuego Volcano, located about 35 kilometers from the country’s capital.
The most active volcano in Central America entered an eruptive phase on Monday morning, and its activity intensified overnight with lava emissions and large columns of gas and ash.
No fatalities have been reported, but the volcanic activity forced the evacuation of around 500 people as a precautionary measure.
The National Coordination for Disaster Reduction (Conred) declared a state of emergency in the departments of Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango and Escuintla, the agency announced through its official X account.
The affected regions are home to approximately 1.6 million people. However, ashfall has so far impacted only about five municipalities.
Despite the increase in the alert level, authorities reopened a road leading to the city of Antigua, the country’s main tourist destination, after evaluating safety conditions in the area.
The Fuego Volcano is one of Guatemala’s most active geological formations and has a history of frequent eruptions, requiring continuous monitoring by national emergency agencies.
Central America
U.S. Defense Secretary to Close Multinational Military Exercises in Panama to Protect Canal
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will travel to Panama next week to close multinational military exercises involving more than 20 countries aimed at strengthening security measures for the Panama Canal against potential threats, a Panamanian government official announced Monday.
This will mark Hegseth’s second visit to Panama. The U.S. defense chief is expected to arrive on August 13 for the closing ceremony of the military drills, which began this week and have been conducted in the Central American country for more than two decades to support the protection of the interoceanic waterway, according to Panama’s Security Minister Frank Ábrego.
The exercises include participation from the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru and the United Kingdom, among other nations.
“The canal is a strategic infrastructure that connects markets and supports global supply chains. Its security and uninterrupted operation are of fundamental importance for Panama, the United States and the international community,” said U.S. Ambassador to Panama Kevin Marino Cabrera.
The drills include maritime training operations, exercises in jungle areas surrounding the canal, as well as virtual simulations focused on cybersecurity and strategic planning.
The Panama Canal, one of the world’s most important trade routes, handles approximately 5% of global maritime commerce, making its security a priority for international trade and logistics networks.
Ábrego emphasized that preparedness and international coordination are essential to maintaining stability.
“The best way to preserve peace and guarantee the continuity of global trade is to be prepared to respond in a coordinated and effective manner to any threat,” the Panamanian official said.
Central America
Prosecutors Accuse Ex-Defense Minister of Undermining Press Freedom in Honduras
Honduras’ Public Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday filed criminal charges against retired General Roosevelt Hernández, the country’s former defense minister and former chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over his alleged role in actions that prosecutors say undermined press freedom and freedom of expression.
Prosecutors said the case was brought by the Special Prosecutor’s Office for the Protection of Journalists, Social Communicators, Human Rights Defenders and Justice Officials following an investigation into content published between 2025 and 2026 on a digital media platform operated by the Honduran Armed Forces.
According to the investigation, the publications were reported by journalists and the Honduran Journalists Association (CPH), which described them as part of an alleged campaign to discredit members of the press and media organizations.
The case dates back to May 2025, when the CPH filed complaints with national and international organizations after the Armed Forces referred to three journalists as “hitmen” in an article published by FF.AA. Digital. The association argued that the publication endangered the journalists’ safety and constituted an attack on press freedom.
The journalists identified in the publication as “hitmen of the truth” were Rodrigo Wong Arévalo, director of the television news program Abriendo Brecha; Dagoberto Rodríguez, director of Radio Cadena Voces; and Juan Carlos Sierra, president of the Honduran Journalists Association. The article also included photographs of the three journalists and the CPH’s logo.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office said the case file includes formal complaints, pretrial investigative proceedings, a specialized forensic analysis of audiovisual and digital material, and witness testimony gathered during the investigation to determine whether the publications violated freedom of expression and the exercise of journalism.
Authorities emphasized that freedom of the press and freedom of expression are protected under the Honduran Constitution as well as international treaties ratified by the country.
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