International
Guatemalan prosecutors and justice operators lack security guarantees in province
October 24 |
The kidnapping 29 days ago of a prosecutor and two investigators from the Public Ministry (MP) in Tajumulco, San Marcos, reveals the vulnerability of the investigators in the province.
This situation is caused by several factors, such as insufficient support from the National Civil Police (PNC) and the dominance that criminal structures have over municipal and departmental authorities, according to a former secretary of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and an analysis of the situation by the Pro-Justice Movement.
On September 25, a prosecutor and two investigators from the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) were kidnapped by residents of the village of Tuinimá, Tajumulco, San Marcos, who demanded the closure of the municipal headquarters of the MP in Tajumulco and the release of two people linked to the crime of an army colonel.
As of yesterday, the MP workers had been in this situation for 28 days. According to the official report of the auxiliary of the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office, the reason for the kidnapping is because the victims were carrying out a field inspection related to the theft of electricity.
“Being a prosecutor at the municipal or departmental level is different from being a prosecutor in Guatemala City,” says Javier Monterroso, ex-secretary of the MP, who affirms that the prosecutors and investigators assigned in the province work with many “precariousnesses” and normally only investigate common crimes, so as not to enter into confrontation with the inhabitants or put themselves at risk from organized crime.
“Their work is more complicated because there are fewer PNC agents and MP personnel, but in addition, many members of the security forces themselves are committed to the powers that be, politicians and drug traffickers,” Monterroso said.
He also states that in the province, municipal and departmental authorities depend a lot on the criminal structures in the region, and for this reason, when it comes to investigating criminal structures, prosecutors are asked not to be from the department so that there are no reprisals, and they opt to bring prosecutors from the capital city, in addition to the support of the army.
“But even so, prosecutors are very vulnerable because of the above situations and when they are retained by the population, they are tied up and beaten on the orders of community leaders or organized crime,” says Monterroso.
The former secretary of the MP says that even some of the workers who have been retained have said that they are subjected to psychological abuse, when they are threatened that they will be burned and “they show them or gasoline”.
Retention of personnel, according to Monterroso, has occurred most frequently when investigating illegal electricity connections or when tracking poppy plantations.
For Carmen Aída Ibarra, director of Movimiento ProJusticia, these events are more recurrent in Huehuetenango and San Marcos, mainly in the border areas with Mexico, due to the presence of drug trafficking.
“In some places, the economy of the communities depends on illegal crops and contraband, and the physical integrity of the prosecutors is at risk,” said Ibarra.
The researcher and expert in the justice sector reiterates that there are communities where the population rejects the presence of the PNC and the MP and prefers to act according to their rules, often to defend the interests of organized crime or the community itself, “when the local economy is affected”.
Ibarra affirms that the lack of security guarantees for prosecutors and investigators of the MP in the province is compounded by the fear of being removed or dismissed.
“In 2021 there was a series of transfers and removals that affect them, because they are sent far from their residence. They live in fear, because they do not know when they will be transferred or dismissed,” said Ibarra.
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
International
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Cuba is facing a severe dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has already claimed at least 44 lives, including 29 minors, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap). The outbreak—now considered out of control—has expanded across the entire country amid a critical shortage of resources to confront the emergency.
Authorities report more than 42,000 chikungunya infections and at least 26,000 dengue cases, though they acknowledge significant underreporting as many patients avoid seeking care in health centers where medicines, supplies, and medical personnel are scarce. The first cluster was detected in July in the city of Matanzas, but the government did not officially use the term “epidemic” until November 12.
Chikungunya—virtually unknown on the island until this year—causes high fever, rashes, fatigue, and severe joint pain that can last for months, leaving thousands temporarily incapacitated. Dengue, endemic to the region, triggers fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and, in severe cases, internal bleeding. Cuba currently has no vaccines available for either virus.
Minsap reports that of the 44 deaths recorded so far, 28 were caused by chikungunya and 16 by dengue.
The health crisis unfolds amid deep economic deterioration, marked by the absence of fumigation campaigns, uncollected garbage, and shortages of medical supplies—conditions that have fueled the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for both diseases. “The healthcare system is overwhelmed,” non-official medical sources acknowledge.
Beyond the health impact, the epidemic is heavily disrupting economic and family life. The intense joint pain caused by chikungunya has led to widespread work absences, while hospital overcrowding has forced relatives to leave their jobs to care for the sick. In November, authorities launched a clinical trial using the Cuban drug Jusvinza to reduce joint pain, though results have not yet been released.
International
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Violence in Ecuador is expected to reach historic levels by the end of 2025, with the country set to record the highest homicide rate in Latin America for the third consecutive year, according to a report released Thursday by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The organization warns that criminal activity is not only persisting but could worsen in 2026.
Official figures show 7,553 homicides recorded through October, surpassing the 7,063 registered throughout all of 2024. ACLED estimates that 71% of the population was exposed to violent incidents this year, despite President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in an attempt to confront powerful criminal groups.
According to the report, several factors are driving the deterioration of security: a territorial war between Los Chonerosand Los Lobos, the two most influential criminal organizations in the country; the fragmentation of other groups after the fall of their leaders; and Ecuador’s expanding role as a strategic hub for regional drug trafficking.
Since 2021, violence has forced the internal displacement of around 132,000 people, while more than 400,000 Ecuadorians — equivalent to 2% of the population — have left the country. Between January and November alone, violent deaths rose 42%, fueled by prison massacres and clashes between rival gangs.
The report warns that conditions may deteriorate further. Ecuador has been added to ACLED’s 2026 Conflict Watchlist, which highlights regions at risk of escalating violence. The expansion of Colombian armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN, state weakness, and a potential rerouting of drug trafficking corridors from the Caribbean to the Pacific intensify the threat.
“The president is facing a wave of violence that shows no signs of easing,” the report concludes.
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
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