Central America

Thousands of Guatemalan girls forced into motherhood due to sexual violence

Each year in Guatemala, an average of 2,000 girls aged 10 to 14 become mothers as a result of sexual violence, and 99% of these cases go unpunished, according to a report released Wednesday by the Human Rights Office of the Archdiocese (ODHAG).

“Girls in the country live under state abandonment. They are exposed to a judicial and health system that, upon becoming pregnant, forces them into motherhood and to abandon their life plans,” said Dr. Mirna Montenegro, lead researcher of the investigation, during a press conference.

Montenegro emphasized that between 2022 and 2024, the Ministry of Health recorded 5,937 births to girls aged 10 to 14.

“What’s most alarming is that only 1% of these cases have been brought to court since 2018—just around 100 cases—and this doesn’t mean the accused rapists were convicted,” she stressed.

The investigation also found that the government program “VIDA”, created to support girls who are victims of sexual violence, served only 129 minors in 2024, despite 1,953 pregnancies reported among girls in that age group.

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In addition, the report noted that in 2023, 3,064 cases of sexual violence against minors under 19 were reported nationwide. The majority of victims were girls aged 10 to 13.

The areas most affected by child pregnancies include Huehuetenango, Alta Verapaz, and Quiché in the north, as well as Guatemala City in the central region.

According to the most recent Ministry of Health data, as of February 2024, 1,041 girls under 14 had already become mothers. Another 1,005 girls of mestizo origin were also reported to have become mothers due to sexual violence.

Central America

Guatemala President Says Starlink Terminal Found Inside Prison

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo revealed on Tuesday that a Starlink terminal was discovered inside a prison in the country, highlighting corruption and the illegal introduction of advanced communication technology into the penitentiary system.

Arévalo did not specify which prison the device was found in but stressed that Starlink’s ability to connect directly to low-orbit satellites makes it particularly difficult to disrupt, posing a serious security risk.

The disclosure was made during a press conference attended by Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda and Defense Minister Henry Sáenz.

On January 6, specialized units of Guatemala’s National Civil Police (PNC), members of the Army and prison security personnel carried out Operation Sentinel at the Renovación 1 Maximum Security Prison for Men, located in Escuintla. According to the Interior Ministry, the operation aimed to reduce criminal activity, prevent illicit acts and stop the trafficking of prohibited items inside the prison.

During the operation, authorities also dismantled businesses operating near several prisons after detecting routers that were allegedly used to redirect internet signals into penitentiary facilities, according to local outlet Emisoras Unidas.

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Tensions escalated further over the weekend of January 17 and 18, when inmates affiliated with gangs staged riots in three prisons. During the unrest, they took prison guards and a psychologist hostage, demanding extra-large beds, air conditioning, transfers to other facilities and access to the internet.

Central America

Guatemala Police Arrest Prison Guard Caught in the Act of Extortion

Guatemala’s National Civil Police (PNC) arrested a suspected extortionist in the act during an operation carried out in the department of Quiché, authorities reported.

According to the police report, the arrest took place in Zone 1 of Santa Cruz del Quiché after officers responded to a citizen complaint. Agents from Precinct 71 identified the suspect as Encarnación “N”, 41, who was serving as a guard in the Guatemalan Penitentiary System.

The suspect was caught while attempting to collect a package simulating an extortion payment totaling 25,000 quetzales. Police intervened at the precise moment the money was being handed over, allowing authorities to document the crime in flagrante delicto.

Following the operation, the detainee was placed at the disposal of the competent courts to face criminal proceedings.

The PNC emphasized that such operations aim to dismantle criminal structures involved in extortion, regardless of whether those implicated are linked to state institutions, and urged the public to continue reporting these crimes through confidential channels.

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Central America

Honduras swears in conservative president Asfura after disputed election

Conservative politician Nasry Asfura assumed the presidency of Honduras on Tuesday with an agenda closely aligned with the United States, a shift that could strain the country’s relationship with China as he seeks to confront the economic and security challenges facing the poorest and most violent nation in Central America.

Asfura’s rise to power, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, marks the end of four years of left-wing rule and secures Trump another regional ally amid the advance of conservative governments in Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina.

The 67-year-old former mayor and construction businessman was sworn in during an austere ceremony at the National Congress, following a tightly contested election marred by opposition allegations of fraud and Trump’s threat to cut U.S. aid if his preferred candidate did not prevail.

Grateful for Washington’s support, Asfura—who is of Palestinian descent—traveled to the United States to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“We need to strengthen relations with our most important trading partner,” Asfura said after being declared the winner of the November 30 election by a narrow margin, following a tense vote count that lasted just over three weeks.