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
Panama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
A container originating from El Salvador and carrying coffee for export was contaminated with more than 1,152 packages of drugs while in transit through Panama, according to official information confirmed by the Panamanian government this Tuesday.
The case, which had previously generated political controversy in April 2025 after opposition sectors attempted to link the Salvadoran government to drug trafficking, has now been clarified through renewed investigations.
Authorities confirmed that the container departed from the port of Acajutla after being properly inspected, with no illicit substances detected at the time of export.
According to statements previously provided by El Salvador’s Minister of Defense, René Merino Monroy, the shipment traveled first to the port of Balboa in Panama, where it remained stored for several days before being transferred to another vessel bound for Manzanillo in Colón.
It was at that terminal that Panamanian authorities discovered the drugs and identified tampering with the container seals, indicating that the illicit alteration occurred during its transit in Panama rather than in Salvadoran territory.
The findings align with earlier explanations provided by Salvadoran officials and confirm that the contamination of the cargo took place outside of El Salvador’s jurisdiction.
Central America
Uber Eats adds Puntarenas and Turrialba to growing Costa Rica network
Uber Eats announced that it is continuing to expand its presence in Costa Rica with the launch of operations in the cities of Puntarenas and Turrialba, further strengthening the company’s growth in the country.
With this expansion, the delivery platform is now available across all seven Costa Rican provinces and works with more than 6,000 partner businesses. Its offerings include prepared food, supermarkets, pharmacies, pet stores, and other specialty retailers.
As part of the announcement, Uber Eats also introduced Marco Nannipieri as its new Regional General Manager for the Andean Region, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Nannipieri will oversee the company’s operations in Costa Rica along with seven other countries in the region.
“Costa Rica is a key market for Uber Eats in the region, with growing adoption of technology among users and businesses. Over the past five years, more than 1,000 restaurants and merchants have joined the app, and today we are entering a new stage of expansion that will allow us to reach more cities outside the Greater Metropolitan Area, creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs across the country,” Nannipieri said.
Central America
Report questions direction of Nasry Asfura after 100 days in office
The Center for the Study of Democracy warned Tuesday that the government of Nasry Asfura, which marks its first 100 days in office on Wednesday, has failed to show a “significant change in direction” and continues to follow a model characterized by exclusion, inequality, and external dependence.
In its report titled “100 Days of the Nasry Asfura Government: Concerns and Demands,” Cespad stated that the administration has maintained an economic and political model that prioritizes debt payments, the promotion of extractive projects, and the strengthening of the security apparatus over social investment.
The organization argued that the current policies have not addressed structural problems affecting large sectors of the Honduran population and warned that inequality and economic dependence remain key challenges for the country.
Nasry Asfura won the general elections held on November 30, 2025, in a process marked by allegations of fraud and delays in the vote count that lasted nearly a month due to a series of technological failures.
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