Central America
US cancels visas for 300 Guatemalans including 100 anti-democratic deputies
December 12 |
The United States announced yesterday the cancellation of visas for some 300 Guatemalans, including a hundred deputies, and condemned attempts to “undermine” democracy by the country’s Attorney General’s Office, a body that has tried to overturn in court the presidential victory of social democrat Bernardo Arévalo.
“The United States strongly condemns the anti-democratic actions of the Guatemalan Public Ministry and other malicious actors that are undermining the rule of law in Guatemala,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
The visa restrictions affect some “300 Guatemalan nationals, including more than 100 members of Congress, as well as private sector representatives and their families,” the statement said.
These sanctions come in a context of tension over the results of the August presidential elections in which Arévalo, who promises to fight corruption in the country, won a surprise victory.
On Friday, Guatemala’s Attorney General’s Office stated that the elections should be annulled due to alleged irregularities in the first round.
On the same day, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal assured that the election results were “official and unalterable”, and affirmed that Arevalo will take office on January 14, as scheduled.
Washington warned that it will continue to “take steps to impose such restrictions on anyone who undermines Guatemala’s democracy”, ensuring “that the will of the Guatemalan people is respected”, according to the State Department statement.
The United States reproached that these actions, which are “clearly inconsistent” with the Inter-American Democratic Charter, “constitute evidence of their clear intent to delegitimize Guatemala’s free and fair elections and prevent the peaceful transition of power.”
“These brazen measures follow a long list of other anti-democratic actions including: lifting the immunity of electoral magistrates, political attacks against opposition members, intimidation of peaceful protesters, raids on storage facilities housing election results records, and opening boxes at polling centers,” the U.S. Department of State reiterated.
Miller reiterated that the announced visa restrictions reinforce previous U.S. government measures to promote accountability of corrupt actors and support the will of the people: “The Guatemalan people have spoken. Their voices must be respected.
The Constitutional Court (CC) yesterday received a complaint against the Public Prosecutor’s Office which considers that the prosecuting agency has failed to comply with an injunction issued on October 7 by the CC itself ordering it to respect the outcome of the presidential elections.
“We are going to ask for assistance for the due execution of the injunction because we were granted a provisional injunction on October 7, when the CC said it urged all bodies to respect the alternation in power and the election results,” explained constitutional lawyer Edgar Ortiz.
The ambassador of the European Union in Guatemala, Thomas Peyker, announced on Sunday that the 27 are preparing a new package of “sanctions”.
1.- Objective
Like the US, the European Union will target restrictive measures against those responsible for the attempted coup d’état in Guatemala.
Condemnation
The EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, condemned “the attempts to annul the elections in Guatemala.
3.- In the spotlight
The Public Ministry of Guatemala has requested the annulment of the entire electoral process due to alleged irregularities of the Seed Movement.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) adopted yesterday resolution 03/2023, referring to the respect for human rights and the “instrumentalization of the justice system in Guatemala”, regarding the political crisis caused by the actions of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) against the electoral process and the elected authorities. In its resolution, the IACHR alerts the OAS Member States and the international community about an “imminent rupture of the constitutional order due to the abuse of power” of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The Attorney General’s Office of Guatemala delivered yesterday to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) a report of a questioned investigation on alleged anomalies for which it considers “null and void” the elections won by the opposition Bernardo Arévalo.
The TSE affirmed that it will analyze the investigation file of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (FECI) on elections; on the subject, the presiding magistrate, Blanca Alfaro, reiterated that the electoral results “are validated, officialized and unalterable”.
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.
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.
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.
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