Central America

For Honduran youth, US is the only escape from poverty

AFP

Wilmer Rodriguez’s mother, Lesly Madariaga, spent a sleepless night looking for him in the streets of Nueva Suyapa, a poor neighborhood in the hills surrounding the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa.

But to no avail: like thousands of other young Hondurans trying to reach the United States in search of work, Rodriguez and a friend had stolen away in secret.

It was February 2020 but a month later he was back home.

Rodriguez, then 17, only got to Mexico before he was picked up by authorities and returned to Honduras.

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“I want to go again, I still have the desire and it won’t leave my head until I pull it off,” Rodriguez told AFP.

“If they catch me one, two, three, four, five times again I’ll still keep trying because my dream is to support my family.”

In a country suffering from deep economic woes and rampant violence, and where more than half the population of 10 million lives in poverty, thousands expose themselves to the many risks of migration, not least from human traffickers and extortionists.

It can be a costly and fruitless exercise.

According to a recent report, Central American migrants spend around $2.2 billion a year trying to reach the US, most of which is paid to traffickers.

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Around 50,000 Honduran migrants have been sent back home this year alone, according to official figures.

– ‘They’re all liars’ –

Hondurans will head to the polls Sunday to elect a successor to President Juan Orlando Hernandez.

After 12 years of right-wing Nationalist Party hegemony, some see in leftist former first lady Xiomara Castro an opportunity for change.

But not Rodriguez. No matter who wins, his dream will remain resolute.

“I don’t have much faith in politicians because the truth is, they’re all liars,” he said.

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Now 18, he puts his faith instead in his ability to become “one of the great” barbers of the world — in the United States.

Upon his return to Honduras, Rodriguez trained to cut hair and is now employed in his neighborhood’s La Bendicion salon.

He has already won a pair of awards for his work.

In La Bendicion, the barber capes feature the US Stars and Stripes — if ever Rodriguez needed more encouragement.

He has not told his mother as much, but she suspects he again will seek to reach the US.

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“I wouldn’t want to go through that process again,” she said. “I wouldn’t want him to run that risk.”

She believes “God always provides food,” but knows that is not enough for today’s dreamers.

“The youngsters leave for a better life because there is no work here in Honduras.”

– ‘My goal is to work’ –

There are two types of homes on the steep unpaved streets of Nueva Supaya: sturdy ones built of concrete blocks, whose owners have family abroad, and flimsy ones made of wooden or metal planks.

Rodriguez’s house measures no more than 20 square meters (215 square feet) but a dozen family members are crammed into its two rooms.

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In the bedroom, blankets provide makeshift dividing walls. Rodriguez sleeps atop a bunk bed, his mother and sister below.

He earns money now, but not enough.

“It’s something, but just for me — not to support 12 people,” he said.

Still, he is determined not to fall into the trap that has seduced many others: gangs.

Like many Honduran neighborhoods, Nueva Suyapa is beset by the curse of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 gangs whose drug-trafficking and extortion-related violence force many young people to flee the country.

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Local non-governmental groups run programs trying to keep youths out of harm’s way, and at home. But the lure from abroad is powerful.

“When children become youngsters they want to leave for other countries to look for better opportunities because here there are none,” said Rosa Maria Nieto, executive director of the Sharing Association.

“It creates great pain and suffering in families.”

Rodriguez says neighborhood younths are attracted to crime and “easy things” like selling drugs, although Rodriguez has always resisted.

“My goal is to work…. My house is my goal too. I know that one day I will build it.”

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Central America

Guatemala narrows emergency measures to hardest-hit gang violence areas

The government of Guatemala has narrowed the scope of its state of emergency to the areas most affected by gang violence, Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda announced on Thursday.

The measure comes two months after coordinated attacks attributed to the Barrio 18 left 11 police officers dead.

President Bernardo Arévalo initially imposed a state of siege in mid-January following the violence, which was reportedly in retaliation for government intervention in three prisons where gang leaders had staged uprisings.

That measure, which allowed arrests without a warrant, expired after one month. It was then replaced by a less restrictive “state of prevention,” alongside an increased security deployment in Guatemala City and surrounding areas.

According to Villeda, the state of prevention has been extended for two additional weeks but will now apply primarily to the central department of Guatemala — home to the capital — and Escuintla, which have recorded the highest levels of homicides and criminal activity.

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“We need to continue these joint operations between the police and the military to maintain control,” the minister said.

The measure will also remain in effect in border departments including Petén, San Marcos and Huehuetenango, which border Mexico, as well as Izabal, which borders Honduras and Belize, in an effort to prevent the entry of criminal groups linked to drug trafficking.

Villeda added that in the past two weeks, homicides have dropped by 25% and extortion cases by 33% compared to the same period in 2025.

Central America

Costa Rica closes embassy in Cuba, citing human rights concerns

The government of Costa Rica announced on Wednesday the closure of its embassy in Cuba, a move that signals a further deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Foreign Minister Arnoldo André confirmed that Costa Rica has also requested the withdrawal of Cuban diplomatic personnel from San José, leaving only consular representation in place.

According to André, the decision is driven by concerns over the worsening human rights situation on the island, including increased repression against citizens and opposition figures.

He also noted that Cuba’s ongoing economic and social crisis—marked by shortages of food, medicine, and basic services—has made the operation of the embassy increasingly difficult.

President Rodrigo Chaves backed the measure, stating that his administration does not recognize the legitimacy of Cuba’s political system.

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In response, the Cuban government rejected the decision, calling it a “unilateral” move taken under pressure from United States.

“Under pressure from the United States, Costa Rica has limited its relations with Cuba to consular matters,” Cuba’s Foreign Ministry said, describing the action as “arbitrary.”

Despite the diplomatic setback, Cuban authorities stated that historical ties between the two nations would endure.

Central America

Costa Rica closes Cuba embassy as president escalates rhetoric

The president of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves, escalated political rhetoric on Wednesday, stating that “the hemisphere must be cleansed of communists,” following his government’s decision to close its embassy in Cuba.

The remarks come as Costa Rica moves to downgrade diplomatic relations with the island, citing a sustained deterioration in human rights. Chaves reiterated that his administration does not recognize the legitimacy of the Cuban government, accusing it of repression and of maintaining poor living conditions for its population.

“We do not recognize the legitimacy of that government. We will not maintain a consulate there; services will be handled from Panama,” Chaves said during a press conference.

The president also argued that the communist model has “failed” not only in Cuba but in every country where it has been implemented, emphasizing that freedom is essential for development.

The decision was made in coordination with president-elect Laura Fernández, who is set to take office on May 8 and is expected to maintain the same foreign policy stance.

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Foreign Minister Arnoldo André confirmed the closure of the embassy in Havana and requested that Cuba withdraw its diplomatic personnel from San José, while maintaining limited consular functions.

Costa Rican authorities justified the move by pointing to increased repression against citizens, activists, and opposition figures, as well as restrictions on fundamental freedoms.

The closure marks a new point of tension in bilateral relations and comes amid growing international pressure on Cuba.