Connect with us

Central America

Young person will represent El Salvador at International Chemistry Olympiad in Switzerland

Young person will represent El Salvador at International Chemistry Olympiad in Switzerland
Photo: DES

May 29 |

At the age of 18, Luis Ronaldo Chávez Escamilla is one of the three young people in the delegation that will represent El Salvador at the International Chemistry Olympiad.

The 55th edition of the international competition will take place from July 16 to 25 in Zurich, Switzerland.

“For me it is one of the most important things in my life. I see it not only as an academic achievement, but as a life experience. They have been shaping me as a person and have helped me discover what I am passionate about and what I want for my future,” she said.

He added that around 84 countries will participate in the Olympics, with approximately three to four representatives per country. There will be an average of 300 contestants in total.

Advertisement
20260224_estafa_mh_728x90
previous arrow
next arrow

This represents a challenge for the young man, who since he applied for the competition has dedicated himself to preparing for it. Luis is part of the Jóvenes Talento program, where he receives “training”, as he calls the classes. At home he also spends time solving math problems.

“It is the most difficult and needs many months of preparation, but this year, as I have already finished high school, I have dedicated myself to prepare for this; it is quite demanding,” he said.

His participation in the Olympics is part of his academic record. Luis, who since he was a child was very diligent in his studies, has competed in three more Olympiads, two of which are international and one national.

“Since I was a child I liked mathematics very much, but I had never discovered my passion as such, until fifth grade, when my dad came with the newspaper. Before, the National Math Olympiad was published in the newspaper and people who wanted to participate in the program had to solve certain problems and exams,” he told “Diario El Salvador”.

When he was 12 years old, his father came with the newspaper and proposed it to him as a challenge. With some trepidation she took the exams. “I passed the first stage and that’s when it caught my attention even more. I passed the second stage and qualified. That’s when I realized that I really had talent in the area of numbers,” he added.

Advertisement
20260224_estafa_mh_728x90
previous arrow
next arrow

In seventh grade, the young man took the exams for the Salvadoran Chemistry Olympiad (OSQ) for the first time. After his participation, he was able to enter the chemistry group in the Jóvenes Talento program.

“From seventh grade onwards, they allow participation in certain Olympic groups in each area of science. I was always interested in chemistry. My first class in the program was chemistry. In that group there are three levels: elementary, intermediate and advanced. Over the years I have moved up through the levels. Now I am in the advanced level, which is the highest level. Being part of these groups gives you the opportunity to take selective exams of all the classmates classified to participate in these international olympiads,” he said.

In 2021 and 2022 he had the opportunity to participate in the Salvadoran Olympiad and the Ibero-American Chemistry Olympiad. Although everything was virtual, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he won two bronze medals. A third silver medal was obtained by participating in the World Applied Chemistry Olympiad (WAChO), organized by the Indonesian scientific society.

According to the young man, he participated in the last Olympiad with a research project: “I won my silver medal with the sustainable chemistry project, which is the generation of electricity from wastewater,” he said.

In 2022, Luis won a half scholarship to study at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, a prestigious study center in Mexico, after obtaining a high score in the academic aptitude test.

Advertisement
20260224_estafa_mh_728x90
previous arrow
next arrow
Continue Reading
Advertisement
20260224_estafa_mh_300x250

Central America

El Salvador and Chile Mark 150 Years of Relations With Expanded Bilateral Cooperation

El Salvador and Chile are strengthening their diplomatic and cooperation ties through the official visit of Salvadoran Deputy Foreign Minister Adriana Mira to the South American country.

The purpose of the visit is to expand economic exchanges, promote new cooperation opportunities, and strengthen the bonds of friendship between both nations, according to El Salvador’s Foreign Ministry.

During her visit, Mira held a meeting with her Chilean counterpart, Patricio Torres, where they discussed issues of common interest and actions aimed at further advancing bilateral relations.

The agenda included initiatives to promote trade, encourage investment in strategic sectors, and strengthen joint efforts in different areas of cooperation.

As part of this process, both countries are preparing the 5th Meeting of the Joint Commission for Technical and Scientific Cooperation, where they are expected to establish a new framework for bilateral collaboration aimed at creating mutual benefits.

The meeting also carried a historic significance, as El Salvador and Chile are commemorating 150 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.

Representatives from both governments highlighted the importance of continuing to deepen their ties of friendship and cooperation to support shared development goals.

El Salvador’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that the relationship between both countries seeks to advance greater economic, commercial, and technical integration while taking advantage of new opportunities for collaboration.

Continue Reading

International

Cristiano Ronaldo Makes History as First Player to Score in Six World Cups

Cristiano Ronaldo made football history on Tuesday by becoming the first player ever to score in six different editions of the FIFA World Cup.

The Portuguese forward opened the scoring in Portugal’s Group K match against Uzbekistan in Houston. Just six minutes into the game, Ronaldo found the back of the net with a right-footed strike from inside the box, sending the Portuguese fans into celebration.

The “Commander” sparked excitement throughout the stadium with his iconic celebration, as supporters joined in with his famous “Siuuu!” chant to honor another milestone in the career of one of football’s greatest stars.

At 41 years old, Ronaldo has now scored in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, and North America 2026. With his two goals in this tournament, he has surpassed Lionel Messi’s record, as the Argentine has scored in every World Cup he played except South Africa 2010.

The Portuguese captain has also reached nine World Cup goals, matching Eusébio as Portugal’s all-time top scorer in the history of the tournament.

Ronaldo’s achievement came just one day after Messi also made history by becoming the outright leading scorer in World Cup history, reaching 18 goals after scoring twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria.

With his appearance at the 2026 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo has also extended another remarkable record by becoming the first player to participate in six consecutive editions of the tournament, further cementing his legacy as one of the most influential players in football history.

Continue Reading

Central America

Costa Rica Launches Largest Police Operation in History, Dismantles Major Drug Cartel

Costa Rican judicial authorities on Tuesday announced the largest police operation in the country’s history, resulting in the dismantling of a major local drug trafficking organization allegedly led by a man who was extradited to the United States earlier this year.

More than 1,500 law enforcement officers carried out 97 raids across different regions of the country, targeting 41 suspects and seizing assets valued at nearly $22 million, according to Michael Soto, director of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ).

Speaking in a video statement, Soto described the operation as unprecedented in scale and coordination.

“This is the largest operation we have ever conducted. Never before have we carried out so many raids with our officers working alongside prosecutors from the Public Ministry and security forces from the Executive Branch. It is historic,” Soto said.

The operation, dubbed “Riverside,” was the result of months of investigations conducted with support from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Authorities said the large-scale crackdown dismantled one of the country’s most significant criminal organizations involved in international drug trafficking, a major contributor to the security crisis affecting the Central American nation, long known for its stability and tourism industry.

According to investigators, the operation focused on uncovering the multimillion-dollar business activities of a Costa Rican criminal network allied with a Colombian group known as “Los Costeños.”

The alleged leader of the organization was identified as Edwin Pérez, also known as “Pecho de Rata,” who was extradited to the United States on March 20 alongside former Security Minister and former Supreme Court magistrate Celso Gamboa.

Both men were arrested on June 23, 2025, shortly after a legislative reform came into effect allowing Costa Rican citizens suspected of drug trafficking to be extradited to foreign jurisdictions.

Among those detained during the operation were two prison officers, two former professional football players and a model. Prosecutors indicated that the suspects could face charges including domestic and international drug trafficking, arms trafficking, possession of explosives, smuggling drugs into correctional facilities, money laundering and participation in organized criminal activities.

Authorities stated that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional arrests and asset seizures could follow as prosecutors continue to examine the network’s operations and financial structure.

Continue Reading

Trending

Central News