Central America

Guatemala reform allows Semilla Party to be reinstated amid legal battle

Guatemalan Congress removes immunity from electoral judges amidst allegations

The Guatemalan Congress reformed a law on Tuesday that will enable the political party Semilla, led by President Bernardo Arévalo, to be reinstated. The party had been suspended by a judge for alleged irregularities in its registration amidst a judicial offensive against the president.

The reform to the Law Against Organized Crime, supported by 127 out of 160 lawmakers, prevents a judge from suspending or canceling political parties, as had been stipulated under the previous law, said ruling party legislator Samuel Pérez.

In August 2023, after Arévalo unexpectedly advanced to the second round of elections, Judge Fredy Orellana, sanctioned by Washington for being considered “corrupt” and “undemocratic,” used this law to suspend Semilla’s legal status, allegedly for presenting false signatures in its 2017 registration.

The law allowed the provisional suspension of “the registrations of legal entities” when they had been used to commit an “illegal act,” which Orellana attributed to the alleged false signatures. However, legal experts argued that this case should have been handled by the electoral court.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office, led by Consuelo Porras, also sanctioned by the U.S., is leading an offensive against Arévalo and his party, which jeopardized the president’s inauguration in January.

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In compliance with the judicial order issued by Orellana, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal disqualified Semilla on November 3 of the previous year.

The new reforms now establish that this law does not apply to political organizations, which are subject to the Electoral Law and Political Parties Law, not the criminal code.

“We are telling the coup plotters ‘no more legal tricks to persecute the political opposition,’” said ruling party congressman José Carlos Sanabria, referring to Orellana and Porras.

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Central America

Panama begins reverse migration by sea for 109 stranded migrants

Panamanian authorities have transported a group of 109 migrants of various nationalities by sea to La Miel, a Caribbean town on the country’s border with Colombia, to continue their return journey to South America. The move comes after the migrants failed to settle in the United States, following stricter immigration policies implemented under the administration of former President Donald Trump.

The National Migration Service (SNM) of Panama announced in a statement on Tuesday that the transfer was carried out from the Caribbean port of Colón using a vessel from Panama’s National Aeronaval Service (Senan). The operation was part of the country’s so-called “reverse flow” initiative, aimed at facilitating the safe return of migrants.

The official report noted that the group included migrants from nine different nationalities, with 75 adults and 34 minors on board. Authorities emphasized the “inter-institutional commitment to safe and humanitarian reverse migration.”

A source familiar with the process, speaking anonymously to EFE, confirmed that the vessel departed on Monday. Many of the migrants had opted into the reverse flow program after arriving at the Temporary Attention Center for Migrants (CATEM) in Costa Rica, where coordination was made with Panamanian authorities for their return.

Central America

Ombudsman: Tear gas overused in Arimae protest crackdown

Panama’s Ombudsman Office stated on Tuesday that the National Police (PN) used excessive tear gas to disperse a protest in the indigenous community of Arimae, which escalated into a violent clash lasting several hours and leaving multiple people injured on both sides.

After a two-day visit to Arimae, a town in the Darién province about 200 kilometers from Panama City, Ombudsman Eduardo Leblanc reported that “there was clear evidence of the excessive use of tear gas in the community, which has caused various health issues among the population.”

The confrontation occurred on June 5, when police forces arrived to clear a section of the Pan-American Highway — which spans the entire country — that had been blocked by residents using tree trunks. The blockade was part of a protest against a newly enacted social security reform.

According to EFE, police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, while demonstrators hurled rocks, sticks, arrows, and even Molotov cocktails.

Central America

Honduras sees 7.8% rise in external public debt year-on-year

Honduras’ public sector external debt reached $9.96 billion by the end of April 2025, marking a 7.8% increasecompared to the same period in 2024, according to a report released Tuesday by the country’s Central Bank (BCH).

The figure represents a rise of $725.8 million compared to the $9.24 billion recorded between January and April 2024.

However, the debt balance decreased by $243.2 million compared to December 2024, when it stood at $10.2 billion. This reduction was primarily due to higher principal payments totaling $410.8 million, while new disbursements reached only $87.4 million, resulting in a net amortization of $323.4 million. This effect was partially offset by unfavorable exchange rate fluctuations, which increased the debt balance by $80.2 million.

By institution, the general government holds 90.8% of the debt (approximately $9.05 billion), followed by the monetary authority with 7.7% ($770 million), non-financial public enterprises with 1.3% ($126.6 million), and public financial institutions with 0.2% ($16.5 million), the BCH detailed.