Central America

Panama govt, protesters edge closer in talks to end road closures

AFP

The Panamanian government and protesters edged closer Monday to an agreement to end a weeks-long living cost revolt that has blocked roads, interrupted food supplies and damaged the economy.

Authorities agreed in the early morning hours to reduce the price of 72 basic consumer items by some 30 percent on average.

“The national government has every intention of continuing dialogue and today has shown it also has the will to reach agreements,” Labor Minister Doris Zapata said on the fifth day of marathon talks in Penonome, 150 kilometers (93 miles) southwest of the capital Panama City.

“There is already the first step on the road to solving the problems of the social crisis that this country is experiencing,” said Fernando Abrego, a spokesman for one of the demonstrators.

For three weeks, amid worsening economic woes for Panama, protesters demanding lower fuel, food and medicine prices have blockaded the crucial Pan-American Highway and other major roads with stalled trucks and burning tires. Some have clashed with police.

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Despite its dollarized economy and impressive growth figures, the country of 4.4 million people has one of the world’s highest rates of social inequality, with poor access to health services, education and clean drinking water in some areas.

The demonstrations have triggered food and fuel shortages in some parts of the country, and the business sector says some $500 million has been lost.

Even before the talks started, the government had lowered the price of 18 basic products and that of fuel from $5.20 per gallon to $3.25 in an unsuccessful bid to end the standoff.

Protesters had demanded a lowering of the price of 82 products and want a limit to be imposed on company profits, a measure the government has rejected.

Other demands include reducing the price of medicines and electricity, increasing investment in education and the public health system, and measures against government corruption.

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Luis Sanchez, another spokesman for the protesters, said some roads have been opened in a gesture of good faith.

But the government asked for all blockades to be ended.

“There is a population distressed by the closures,” said Zapata.

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.