Central America
Honduran President inaugurates Museum of Memory
June 29 |
Honduran President Xiomara Castro inaugurated on Wednesday the Museum of Memory and Reconciliation in what used to be the Presidential House, located in downtown Tegucigalpa, 14 years after the coup d’état perpetrated against former President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales in 2009.
Castro stressed that the first act of his government was to approve the Law for the Reconstruction of the Constitutional Rule of Law and for the Events Not to Be Repeated, to condemn the coup d’état, compensate its victims and move towards reflection and historical memory.
“Today, with the opening of this Museum of Memory and Reconciliation, we create a space for reflection, a space for learning, a place to meet, to listen to the silenced voices and reconstruct the fundamental values of the creation of our Homeland. Building memory and reconciliation is a complex task,” he stressed.
The Head of State informed that the Secretariat of Human Rights formulated the project to establish the National Day of Truth, Memory and Justice, in addition to the approval of an Executive Decree through which the State assumes the responsibility to support the victims of the unconstitutional coup and their families.
“To those who with their sacrifice taught us that the liberation of our Homeland is not a gift, but a right that we must defend with all our strength, we are here to tell you that your names will remain engraved in the collective memory as a symbol of courage and resistance,” he recalled.
According to the Government Press Secretariat, the president joined the audience attending the evening to chant the names of the heroic men and women who gave their lives to oppose the breaking of the constitutional order, such as Isy Obed Murillo, Roger Vallejo, Wendy Ávila and others.
“Compatriots: together we can build the great Homeland, the dream of Morazán, of Bolívar, of Martí. Honduras today opens its fraternal arms to the solid altar of justice and democratic socialism that only on the basis of a fair and inclusive system can we build”, concluded the head of state.
The event was attended by former President Manuel Zelaya, the President of the Supreme Court of Justice, Rebeca Raquel Obando; the former President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, members of the National Congress and international guests who accompanied the people of Honduras during the 2009 coup.
Central America
Bukele warns crime can become a ‘parallel government’ during visit to Costa Rica
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, accompanied by his official delegation, arrived at the site where the new facilities of the Center for the High Containment of Organized Crime (CACCO) are being built. Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves welcomed Bukele, marking the start of the cornerstone-laying ceremony.
“Thank you very much to President Rodrigo Chaves and his cabinet for this invitation,” Bukele said, noting that this was his fourth meeting with the Costa Rican leader in the past two years.
In his address, Bukele stressed that insecurity is a problem that undermines all aspects of society. “When insecurity advances, jobs collapse, education becomes more difficult, and the economy slows down. People stop going out, businesses close early, investment leaves, and tourism disappears,” he said.
The Salvadoran president warned that if crime continues to grow, it can turn into a parallel government—“the dictatorship of gangs, criminals, and drug traffickers.” He added that this situation has not yet occurred in Costa Rica and that the country is still in time to prevent it.
Central America
U.S. and El Salvador maintain close partnership, embassy says
The Chargé d’Affaires of the United States Embassy in El Salvador, Naomi Fellows, said on Monday that relations between the two countries remain “very close” and that both governments continue to work together in several areas of shared interest.
Speaking at a press conference, Fellows highlighted the longstanding friendship between the United States and El Salvador, as well as the achievements reached through bilateral agreements.
“In terms of our relationship with El Salvador, it continues to be very strong, very close. We are partners on security issues, on economic development; partners on migration, and on many other matters,” she said.
Fellows added that the relationship remains solid and is expected to continue strengthening through joint actions and cooperation initiatives.
On security, she noted that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has underscored the results of the measures implemented by the government of President Nayib Bukele to improve public safety in the country.
Senior U.S. officials have visited El Salvador to observe firsthand the impact of the Territorial Control Plan, including tours of the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT).
Fellows also emphasized the strong personal ties between the two nations, pointing to family and friendship connections that link Salvadorans and Americans.
Central America
Taiwan’s $10 million donation after 2001 earthquakes allegedly diverted in El Salvador
Amid the national tragedy left by the earthquakes of January 13 and February 13, 2001, a controversial corruption scandal emerged that later implicated former presidents Francisco Flores and Elías Antonio Saca, as well as senior executives of the ARENA party.
Although there were efforts to conceal a scheme involving the misuse of public funds, subsequent investigations revealed that between October 2003 and April 2004 the government of Taiwan, led at the time by President Chen Shui-bian, delivered at least three checks totaling $10 million in donations to El Salvador. The funds were diverted and never recorded by the Technical Secretariat for External Financing, the government body responsible for coordinating and monitoring international cooperation resources.
The plight of more than 1.5 million earthquake victims prompted an outpouring of international solidarity. However, it also fueled ambitions among sectors that allegedly took advantage of the emergency to improperly appropriate resources intended to ease the suffering of those affected.
Part of the $10 million donation was earmarked for the construction of housing for residents of Las Colinas, one of the communities hardest hit by the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck on January 13, 2001, at 11:35 a.m. Plans also included the creation of a memorial park to honor the 525 victims buried by landslides.
At a press conference in January 2014, Alejandro Flores, president of the Las Colinas community board, stated that residents received some assistance from Taiwanese cooperation funds. However, he clarified that this support came from different resources and that the destination of the $10 million donation was never known to them.
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
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
-
International3 days agoDeadly van accident near Brazil border leaves 11 dead in Bolivia
-
Central America3 days agoU.S. and El Salvador maintain close partnership, embassy says
-
International3 days agoU.S. to host Danish and Greenlandic Foreign Ministers at the White House
-
Central America3 days agoTaiwan’s $10 million donation after 2001 earthquakes allegedly diverted in El Salvador
-
International3 days agoDominican court postpones hearing in deadly nightclub collapse case
-
International3 days agoPolice hunt gunmen after fatal shooting in Corsica
-
International3 days agoEx-President accused of bid to establish dictatorship as verdict nears in South Korea
-
International3 days agoVenezuelan opposition leader dedicates Nobel Prize to Trump
-
International5 days agoU.S. Issues Urgent Evacuation Call for Citizens in Venezuela
-
International2 days agoColombian Defense Chief Meets U.S. Officials to Advance Bilateral Narcotics Strategy
-
Central America2 days agoBukele warns crime can become a ‘parallel government’ during visit to Costa Rica
-
International1 day agoIran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
-
International1 day agoUkraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
-
International1 day agoX moves to block Grok from creating sexualized images of real people amid legal scrutiny
-
International2 days agoPeruvian Court Orders Definitive Dismissal of Money Laundering Case Against Keiko Fujimori
-
International2 days agoU.S. to suspend visa processing for applicants from 75 countries
-
International1 day agoU.S.–Denmark tensions escalate as Trump pushes NATO to back U.S. claim on Greenland
-
International1 day agoFrance joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
-
International1 day agoHillary Clinton skips Epstein inquiry as house panel threatens contempt charges
-
International1 day agoUK Intelligence estimates russian casualties in Ukraine at over 1.2 million
-
International1 day agoSwiss Canton of Valais Grants Emergency Aid to Victims of Crans-Montana Bar Tragedy