Central America
Amid official denials, Nicaraguans battle Covid surge
AFP
In Nicaragua, governed with an iron fist by Daniel Ortega, official coronavirus figures do not reflect the reality of a population scrambling to find oxygen tanks for stricken loved ones.
The government insists there is no shortage of hospital beds and says the pandemic has killed 201 Nicaraguans out of a population of 6.5 million.
But observers and residents paint a different picture.
A network of independent doctors, Observatorio Ciudadano, says more than 4,500 people have died with Covid-19-like symptoms, and lists at least 25,150 suspected cases — almost double the government’s official figure of 13,206.
Ortega, who since June has arrested dozens of opposition candidates ahead of November 7 elections in which he will seek a fourth consecutive term, dismisses these numbers as “pandemic terrorism.”
Last Wednesday, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said that despite a lack of “official figures to allow a proper analysis” there were “other sources indicating high demand for health services, particularly hospitals” in Nicaragua.
“The situation is critical… it is very bad,” said Erika, who declined to give her surname, one of hundreds queuing for oxygen in the capital, Managua.
She said she had lost two family members to the pandemic.
“I no longer want to go onto social media and be faced with all the condolences” expressed for people who had passed away, added Yonarqui Martinez, a human rights advocate.
The Catholic Church said that among its ranks alone, 16 priests have died of the virus in Nicaragua to date, most of them this year.
– Hoping for a ‘miracle’ –
The PAHO said it had received reports of “high transmission, that is an increase in the number of cases — also in children and teenagers — both in terms of hospitalizations, suspected and confirmed cases, and deaths.”
Oxygen tanks have been in short supply for weeks, and from all corners of Nicaragua, people flock to the capital to try and acquire some of the precious gas for loved ones they say they have no choice but to treat at home.
Taxi driver Julio Larios traveled 180 kilometers (112 miles) from Leon in the country’s west to Managua only to be told after a long wait that there was no more oxygen.
“I will queue and hope by some miracle that another tanker comes today,” he told AFP.
Francisco Montenegro, who has taken in both his parents stricken with Covid-19, is also in an oxygen queue.
He laments the lack of containment measures to brake the spread of the pandemic.
“In the streets, in the bus, everywhere there are people not wearing masks,” he told AFP, and blamed Nicaragua’s Covid-19 resurgence on the amassing of “crowds” despite low rates of vaccination.
Unlike other countries in Latin America that have also experienced infection surges, Nicaragua has never had a coronavirus lockdown.
Sporting events, large religious gatherings, fairs and dance parties have continued throughout the epidemic, often gathering thousands together in enclosed spaces, and without strict mask protocols.
Ortega has insisted that if the country “stops working… it will die of hunger.”
A million Nicaraguans, according to the central bank, make ends meet through informal employment.
– Masks, hand-washing –
To date, Nicaragua has administered at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine to only 523,000 of its residents — all over the age of 45 or falling into vulnerable groups of people battling cancer or other diseases.
The government intends to complete vaccination of this group by next month, as well as 30 percent of those over the age of 30 — for whom the campaign started Monday.
Nicaragua’s health authorities have in recent weeks been urging people to respect voluntary counter-infection measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and regular hand-washing.
Health personnel are travelling around the country, making home calls to detect suspected cases.
For its part, Observatorio Ciudadana urges Nicaraguans with Covid-19 symptoms to voluntarily self-isolate to avoid a “collapse of the hospital system.”
Central America
Guatemala cracks down on prison corruption with over 20 raids in recent weeks
The Guatemalan government warned on Monday that it will not tolerate corruption within the prison system, highlighting that more than 20 raids conducted in recent weeks have helped regain control over its penitentiaries.
“We will not tolerate any acts of corruption from our personnel,” said José Portillo, Deputy Minister of Security at the Ministry of the Interior, during a press conference.
According to Portillo, 21 raids were carried out in the last 15 days with support from security forces across the penitentiary system, and a total of 140 raids have been conducted so far in 2025.
These operations have resulted in the confiscation of dozens of household appliances and cell phones, as well as weapons and other prohibited items inside the prisons.
“We are firmly controlling bribery and corruption,” emphasized the recently appointed deputy minister, adding that “we will be strong and decisive within the penitentiary system.”
Portillo explained that the purpose of these raids is to tackle structural causes within prisons, which are the origin of much of the violence affecting the Central American country, including contract killings and extortions.
He stated that the recent operations have helped reduce crime and identify “hot spots” in the country.
“We are impacting criminal structures,” the official said.
Data released on June 6 by the Director of the National Civil Police, David Custodio Boteo, reported 1,385 homicides in the first five months of the year, representing a 15 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Experts on the subject point out that thousands of Guatemalan merchants fall victim to extortions that originate precisely within the prisons.
Central America
First woman elected president in the Americas, Violeta Chamorro, dead at 95
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, former president of Nicaragua and the first woman in the Americas to be democratically elected head of state, passed away this Saturday in Costa Rica at the age of 95. A pivotal figure in Nicaragua’s transition to democracy, Chamorro achieved a historic victory over Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega in the 1990 elections, heading a broad opposition coalition.
The Chamorro Barrios family confirmed her death in a statement:
“Our mother, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, former president of Nicaragua, passed away today, June 14, 2025, at 2:21 a.m. (08:21 GMT) in San José, Costa Rica, at the age of 95, after a long illness.”
“Doña Violeta died peacefully, surrounded by the love and affection of her children and the extraordinary care of those who looked after her. She is now in the peace of the Lord,” her children Pedro Joaquín, Claudia Lucía, Cristiana, and Carlos Fernando Chamorro Barrios wrote.
Chamorro’s victory in 1990 marked a significant turning point in Central American politics, ending more than a decade of Sandinista rule and initiating a fragile but hopeful democratic chapter in Nicaragua’s history.
Central America
Nicaraguan exile coalition urges Costa Rica to receive U.S. deportees fleeing Ortega regime
The Coalition of Nicaraguans in Exile urged Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves on Sunday to receive opponents and critics of the Ortega-Murillo regime currently residing in the United States who may be deported by the administration of Donald Trump.
“We appeal to you, Mr. President, to kindly consider, as an act of humanity and in accordance with the principles of international refugee law, the reopening of entry and temporary reception pathways for Nicaraguan citizens deported from the United States,” the coalition stated in a letter addressed to Chaves.
They specifically requested the reopening of entry for those Nicaraguans who had previously sought asylum or refugee status in Costa Rica and who express a well-founded fear for their lives and personal safety if returned to Nicaragua.
The organization, which identifies itself as committed to defending and promoting the human rights of Nicaraguans “forced into exile by the repression of the Sandinista dictatorship,” expressed its appeal with “urgency and deep concern.”
In the letter, the coalition emphasized the dramatic situation faced by thousands of Nicaraguans who fled political persecution under Daniel Ortega’s regime and are now at risk of deportation from the United States.
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