Central America
More than 215 gang members deported from Guatemala and Mexico in war on gangs
November 20 |
More than 215 gang members from different terrorist structures have been deported from Guatemala and Mexico to El Salvador as part of the frontal combat against gangs between the end of March 2022 and November 7 of this year, according to data from the General Sub-Directorate of Criminal Investigation (SGIC) of the National Civil Police (PNC) of Guatemala and the National Institute of Migration of Mexico (INM).
On several occasions, the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Gustavo Villatoro, has emphasized that the arrests of the gang members trying to flee from justice are thanks to the good investigative and intelligence work of the Salvadoran police in coordination with Guatemalan and Mexican authorities.
The Security Minister reiterated that the war against gangs, conceived by President Nayib Bukele, will end until the last terrorist is captured and that none of them will escape justice, even if they flee to other countries.
On November 9, the SGIC of the Guatemalan police reported that from January 1 to November 7, 2023, 76 gang members were arrested and handed over to the authorities in El Salvador.
The total number of those apprehended were sent to the Guatemalan Migration Institute (IGM) to be handed over to the Salvadoran Police. Guatemalan authorities indicated that among those captured were 38 members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS) and 38 of the Barrio 18 gang, from whom 13 pistols, a shotgun, 12 magazines, a motorcycle, two rifles, 192 rounds of ammunition of different calibers, 51 cell phones and a vehicle were seized.
The official report states that the terrorists were wanted by the Salvadoran PNC for committing crimes in the country.
In 2022, 94 Salvadorans were apprehended, of whom 75 were handed over to the security forces and 19 are serving sentences in Guatemala. Of the total number of those captured, 46 were from gang 18, 36 were from the MS and 12 were from other criminal groups. During the operations, 19 firearms, 226 rounds of ammunition of different calibers, 32 cell phones, 14 pistols, nine hoppers and two motorcycles were seized.
The deportees belonged to Las Cachorras, Teclas Locos Salvatruchas and Programas San Marcos MS-13.
The head of the Transnational Anti-Gang Center (CAT), Randall García, commented that the personnel under his charge have carried out 63 deportations and eight captures of members of the cliques, and that the work is carried out by human talent specialized in the search, location and arrest of Salvadoran, Honduran and Mexican criminals operating in Guatemalan territory.
He added that they currently maintain continuous communication with the countries that make up the Northern Triangle of Central America, Mexico and Belize.
“Specific plans are being carried out in border areas where police presence has been maintained with operational control devices, investigation and police intelligence units to reduce the incursion of gang members due to the regime applied by the Government of El Salvador,” said Najarro.
Meanwhile, reports from Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM) show that in 2021 they arrested seven gang members, while in 2022 they closed with 22 arrests; the figure represents an increase of 214% over the previous year.
According to Mexican authorities, this increase is a result of the security policies implemented by President Bukele’s government against the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 gangs, which for many years generated terror among Salvadorans.
The latest captures were announced by Minister Gustavo Villatoro. Those arrested were Reyes de Jesús Flores Menjívar, alias Vilma, of the 18 Sureños gang, arrested in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, and José Steven Tablas López, alias Chele, of the MS-13 structure, apprehended in Tijuana, Mexico.
The terrorists will be prosecuted for the crime of illicit groupings and will serve years in prison. “We are no longer the State that served the interests of criminals. Those times are over,” added the official.
Central America
El Salvador to host World Cup qualifiers vs. Guatemala and Panama at Estadio Cuscatlán
El Salvador’s national football team will host its final round World Cup qualifying matches against Guatemala and Panama at Estadio Cuscatlán, the honorary president of the National Sports Institute (INDES), Yamil Bukele, announced Thursday via a statement on his X account.
The official explained that this decision comes after the American rock band Guns N’ Roses, originally scheduled to perform at Estadio Cuscatlán on Saturday, October 4, will now hold their concert at Estadio Jorge “El Mágico” González. This change allows both of La Selecta’s qualifying matches to be played at the “Coloso de Monserrat.”
“After a series of efforts and in response to popular demand, we are pleased to announce that our senior national team’s CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches next October (Oct. 10 vs. Panama and Oct. 14 vs. Guatemala) will take place at Estadio Cuscatlán,” the statement reads.
Bukele also thanked the event promoters and the band for agreeing to the stadium change. “We sincerely thank Guns N’ Roses and StarTicket for agreeing to move the concert originally scheduled for October 4 at Estadio Cuscatlán,” the statement adds.
Additionally, Bukele expressed gratitude to the FESFUT Regularization Commission for their efforts with CONCACAF to make this possible, and he urged fans to stay tuned to official channels to purchase tickets and support La Selecta in their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Central America
Honduran president Xiomara Castro suspends activities due to influenza
Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced on Thursday that she has “temporarily” suspended her public activities due to a severe influenza virus.
“A strong influenza virus requires me to rest, trusting that I will be fully recovered for the grand celebration of our National Independence Day” next Monday, Castro stated on the social media platform X.
The president had planned to participate in several inaugurations across the northern, central, and eastern regions of the country throughout the week. She added that “these events will be rescheduled for new dates.”
Central America
Nicaragua’s government expels bishops, priests, and nuns in religious persecution
At least 261 religious figures, including the president of the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference, Carlos Enrique Herrera, have been expelled as part of the persecution by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo’s regime against the Catholic Church, reported the NGO Colectivo Nicaragua Nunca Más in its report Faith Under Fire.
The report details that among those expelled are bishops Silvio Báez, Rolando Álvarez, Isidoro Mora, as well as the Apostolic Nuncio in Managua, Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, along with approximately 140 priests, over 90 nuns, ten seminarians, and three deacons from different dioceses in the country.
“Since the expulsion of Nuncio Sommertag in March 2022, relations between Nicaragua and the Vatican have significantly deteriorated,” the NGO noted.
The report also documents the closure of 5,609 non-profit organizations, of which 1,294 were religious, including churches, universities, schools, clinics, and humanitarian organizations. Most of these had their assets confiscated by the Sandinista government. Additionally, the telecommunications regulator TELCOR shut down 54 media outlets, including 22 religious radio stations and TV channels.
Repression has extended to other religious denominations, with forced disappearances and criminalization of evangelical pastors, control over temples, media censorship, fiscal pressure, property confiscation, and the cancellation of legal status for the Moravian Church. Pastor Rudy Palacios remains in detention as part of this pattern of persecution.
The NGO emphasized that churches, especially the Catholic Church, played a key role in the 2018 national dialogue, denouncing abuses and providing refuge to injured protesters, which fueled the government’s hostility.
In 2023, Pope Francis described Ortega’s regime as a “blatant dictatorship”, to which the Nicaraguan president responded by dissolving the Society of Jesus and labeling the Church as a “mafia” and “anti-democratic.”
Trump: U.S. has hit three venezuelan narco boats in Caribbean
Ecuador’s Noboa declares State of Emergency in seven provinces amid fuel price protests
Trump files $15 billion defamation suit against The New York Times
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International5 days agoJair Bolsonaro sentenced for leading armed criminal plot after 2022 election loss
-
International5 days agoAuthorities capture CJNG financial chief in international airport operation
-
International2 days ago20th Festival Salvadoreñísimo brings together thousands of salvadorans in Houston
-
International3 days ago22-Year-Old Suspect Arrested After 33-Hour Manhunt in Small Western U.S. Town
-
International2 days agoEl Salvador unveils 2025-2029 National Reintegration Plan for returned migrants
-
International13 hours agoEcuador’s Noboa declares State of Emergency in seven provinces amid fuel price protests
-
Sin categoría13 hours agoTrump files $15 billion defamation suit against The New York Times
-
International13 hours agoTrump: U.S. has hit three venezuelan narco boats in Caribbean
-
International13 hours agoColombia’s special peace tribunal hands down first sentence against former FARC leaders