Central America

El Salvador extends state of emergency to curb gang violence

AFP

El Salvador’s lawmakers on Sunday extended a state of emergency for another month at the request of President Nayib Bukele, after it was imposed in late March to stamp out a wave of deadly gang violence.

The measures were initially enacted March 27 after a weekend in which 87 people were killed in gang-related violence, expanding police powers so that they could arrest members without a warrant.

Since then, more than 16,000 people have been arrested, and Bukele on Sunday requested lawmakers to extend the state of emergency for another month.

After summoning members to a session, Ernesto Castro, president of the Legislative Assembly — controlled by Bukele’s ruling party — declared that they had approved the extension, by 67 out of 84 votes.

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The new decree states that “security conditions persist which urgently demand the extension… due to the continuation of the circumstances which motivated it,” he said.

Once Bukele signs the decree, the extension begins on Tuesday.

Besides arrests without a warrant, the emergency measures also restrict freedom of assembly, while telephone calls and emails can be intercepted without a court order.

Also on Sunday, they approved another law to “simplify and facilitate” the acquisition of tax-free goods and render services by the government to address the emergency.

The authorities have said they are planning to build new prisons to hold the thousands of gang members they detain.

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– Crackdown –

Bukele hailed the extension, calling it “the definition of democracy.”

“More than 1,000 terrorists captured on this day alone. More than 17,000 in just 30 days,” he tweeted. “We continue… #WarAgainstGangs.”

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.

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

Lawmakers had also approved in early April a reform to punish gang members with up to 45 years in prison — a sharp increase to the original maximum penalty of nine years.

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Other legislation also approved this month criminalizes disseminating gang-related messages in the media, with penalties of up to 15 years in jail. Journalists have warned that this reform could target certain forms of reporting.

El Salvadoran NGOs asked the judiciary this week to declare that legislation unconstitutional.

Such broad and swift enactment of powers granted to the military and police has drawn alarm from local and international human rights organizations.

The 40-year-old president, elected in 2019, enjoys broad support in El Salvador over his promises to fight organized crime and improve security in the violence-wracked country.

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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.

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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.

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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.