Central America

El Salvador president requests state of emergency extension

AFP

El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele asked lawmakers to extend the country’s state of emergency for a month on Sunday, as police said that more than 16,000 gang members had been arrested since it was imposed.

“I am calling the Council of Ministers to ask the Legislative Assembly to extend the (state of emergency) for another 30 days,” Bukele said on Twitter.

Ernesto Castro, president of the Legislative Assembly — controlled by Bukele’s ruling party — summoned members to a plenary session on Sunday at 2.00 pm (2000 GMT).

On March 27, El Salvadoran lawmakers declared a state of emergency at Bukele’s request, expanding police powers and curtailing civil liberties.

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The move followed a weekend in which 87 people were killed in gang-related violence.

The measure restricted free assembly, allowed for arrests without a warrant, and increased sentences for gang membership to up to 45 years.

Police said they captured 590 gang members Saturday, and had made 16,053 arrests since the start of the crackdown.

“More than 16,000 terrorists taken off the streets, in only 29 days. We continue… #WarAgainstGangs,” Bukele tweeted on Sunday.

The wave of detentions is unprecedented in a country that has suffered decades of violent crime driven by powerful gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18.

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The country’s gangs have about 70,000 members in El Salvador, of which 32,000 are now incarcerated as a result of the crackdown, according to authorities.

As part of the crackdown, lawmakers approved a reform that allows jail terms of up to 15 years for disseminating gang-related messages in the media, which journalists warned could criminalize certain forms of reporting.

This week, El Salvadoran NGOs asked the judiciary to declare the reform unconstitutional.

The same day, El Salvador’s Congress approved a law to speed construction of new prisons, as incarcerated populations swell with gang-related arrests.

Bukele said Thursday that “91 percent of Salvadorans support our actions against gang members, according to the latest poll published today by Gallup.”

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Central America

Panama seizes over 1,200 drug packages in container bound for Lithuania

Authorities in Panama reported the seizure of 1,251 packages of suspected drugs hidden inside a shipping container bound for Lithuania, just days after intercepting another shipment of similar size headed to the same destination.

The Panama Public Prosecutor’s Office stated on social media that, through its Colón Drug Prosecutor’s Office and in coordination with the National Anti-Drug Directorate, authorities carried out the operation. The illicit substance was discovered inside a container scheduled for export.

Last Friday, officials also seized 1,506 packages of drugs in another container destined for Lithuania.

While authorities have not specified the type or exact weight of the seized substance, drug packages in Panama typically weigh around one kilogram each, and cocaine remains the most commonly confiscated narcotic in the country.

So far this year, Panamanian authorities have reported multiple drug seizures. Among them was a shipment of 5,356 packages intercepted on January 17, when agents of the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) stopped a vessel near the Pearl Islands archipelago in the Pacific.

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According to official figures, in 2025 Panama seized 129 tons of drugs and 47.8 tons of chemical precursors, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat international drug trafficking.

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.