Central America

Panama government and protesters strike deals to clear key highway

AFP

Panama’s government and indigenous leaders reached a second deal Sunday to clear all remaining demonstrators from the Panamerican Highway in exchange for lower fuel prices, ending a two-week blockade that had stymied food deliveries.

The government released footage from the signing of an initial agreement in far-west Chiriqui province, where most of the Central American country’s food is produced, and of a blocked section of the highway being cleared.

Angered by high prices and corruption, protesters had clogged the highway linking Panama to the rest of Central America over the past two weeks. Large trucks and banner-waving demonstrators paralyzed the strategic route, making it hard for the country of 4.4 million to feed itself.

To avert the crisis, a second deal was signed later Sunday in Santiago de Veragua, a city 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of Panama City, the epicenter of the negotiations and a protester stronghold.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

“Many Panamanians have suffered from these stoppages,” said Vice-President Jose Gabriel Carrizo after signing the agreement. “This is a huge government effort.”

The deal establishes the fixed price of fuel for 91 and 95 octane gasoline and diesel, and is effective from July 18.

“The traffic of cars and heavy equipment in Veraguas is free,” Eduardo Cortés, who participated in the demonstrations on the highway, told AFP by phone.

The proposal of 3.25 dollars per gallon (3.78 liters), was better than the 3.30 offered in the deal made earlier in the day with the indigenous community of the Ngabe-Bugle Comarca in Chiriqui.

“This has not been easy, we have made progress with (reducing the cost of) the basic food basket,” said Luis Sanchez, a spokesman for the organizations promoting the protests.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

In Panama City, a hundred people gathered on the waterfront to demonstrate. They all wore black, in contrast with the white suits worn by lawmakers during official ceremonies.

Food costs are “higher than what is earned. We have a big social problem,” lawyer Jaqueline Hurtado told AFP. “People are fed up and have taken to the streets to demonstrate for things to change.”

Retiree Iliana Arango said: “In my 68 years of life, I am tired of seeing governments that promise, go up, steal, go down, the next one follows and here we are lacking everything, medicine, education, food.”

Year-on-year inflation in Panama of 4.2 percent was recorded in May, along with an unemployment rate of about 10 percent and fuel price hikes of nearly 50 percent since January.

Despite its dollarized economy and high growth figures, the country has a high rate of social inequality.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

Economic woes have led to a shortage of fuel in some parts of the country, and stalls at food markets in the capital have run out of products to sell.

Central America

Panama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find

Panama’s exclusive Geisha coffee variety retains the full genetic purity of its Ethiopian ancestors and preserves a distinctive sensory profile, according to two studies presented by the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP).

“Ensuring that the genetics we have in Panama remain 100% pure is vital for the country’s future,” Ricardo Koyner, president of Panama’s specialty coffee association, told EFE.

Panamanian Geisha coffee has gained international fame after breaking price records at global auctions. In the latest auction, a kilogram sold for more than $30,000.

The variety is highly sought after, particularly in Asian markets, for its complex flavor, which differs from traditional strong coffee, as well as its distinctive floral aroma.

Studies confirm genetic purity and unique flavor

A genetic analysis conducted in France found that Geisha coffee trees grown in Panama retain the same genetic lineage as the original plants from Ethiopia. Those plants are preserved at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Costa Rica, through which the coffee variety reached Panama.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

“We compared Panama’s Geisha with the original Geisha from CATIE, which is the ancestral reference. The genetics are exactly the same,” explained Christophe Montagnon, director of the study.

According to Montagnon, the findings indicate that Panama has preserved the genetic heritage of the variety over the years.

A second study focused on the sensory characteristics of Panamanian Geisha coffee and identified a distinctive note of white flowers or jasmine, described as particularly sweet and similar to the sensation of drinking jasmine tea.

Fabiana Carvalho, a flavor neuroscientist at the University of Campinas in Brazil, said the characteristic is highly valued in the international specialty coffee market.

“Coffees from Panama that have these sensory markers will be perceived, and already are perceived, as authentic. The final consumer, the coffee drinker, is willing to pay more,” said Carvalho, who led the study aimed at identifying the flavor markers that distinguish Panamanian coffee.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

The findings reinforce the reputation of Panama’s Geisha coffee as one of the world’s most distinctive and valuable specialty coffees.

Central America

Honduran Lawyer and Protected Witness in Angie Peña Case Shot Dead

Honduran lawyer and former judicial official Dereck McField was shot and killed on Monday morning, according to local media reports.

The attack took place in the street as McField was returning home after dropping off his young son at school, Honduran outlet HCH reported.

The killing sparked widespread concern after Honduras President Nasry Asfura later confirmed that McField was a protected witness in the case of Angie Peña, a Honduran university student who disappeared on January 1, 2022, while riding a jet ski on an island.

Authorities suspect Peña was trafficked to a criminal network for sexual exploitation. Her jet ski, life jacket and other belongings were found days later on a cay in Belize.

Four men — three Americans and one Honduran — have been charged in connection with the case and remain in pretrial detention as proceedings continue.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

At the start of the judicial process in 2024, authorities said they had evidence indicating that Harold Green allegedly sold Peña to William James Murdock for money. Prosecutors said the case included phone records, videos, photographs and witness testimony.

Search operations have been carried out since then in an effort to locate Peña, but she has not been found. Authorities have said they continue to hope that she is alive.

The three U.S. defendants live in Honduras and have tourism-related investments in Roatán.

McField’s killing raises new questions about the safety of witnesses involved in the high-profile case and comes as authorities continue investigating Peña’s disappearance.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

Central America

Guatemala Declares Highest Alert in Areas Affected by Fuego Volcano Eruption

Guatemalan authorities declared a red alert, the highest level of danger, on Tuesday in areas affected by the eruption of the Fuego Volcano, located about 35 kilometers from the country’s capital.

The most active volcano in Central America entered an eruptive phase on Monday morning, and its activity intensified overnight with lava emissions and large columns of gas and ash.

No fatalities have been reported, but the volcanic activity forced the evacuation of around 500 people as a precautionary measure.

The National Coordination for Disaster Reduction (Conred) declared a state of emergency in the departments of Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango and Escuintla, the agency announced through its official X account.

The affected regions are home to approximately 1.6 million people. However, ashfall has so far impacted only about five municipalities.

Despite the increase in the alert level, authorities reopened a road leading to the city of Antigua, the country’s main tourist destination, after evaluating safety conditions in the area.

The Fuego Volcano is one of Guatemala’s most active geological formations and has a history of frequent eruptions, requiring continuous monitoring by national emergency agencies.