Central America
Candidates in the final stretch of Guatemala’s presidential runoff election
August 16|
Guatemala is preparing for the second round of the presidential election on Sunday between Sandra Torres, of the Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza Party, and Bernardo Arévalo, of the Semilla Movement, who according to the last poll published by the Libertad y Desarrollo foundation, leads the voting intention.
Both were preparing the campaign closings for the next hours to comply with the calendar imposed by law.
“It is 36 hours before the electoral event. Therefore, the campaign by the two political parties that are in contention ends on Friday, August 18 at noon”, explained Luis Gerardo Ramírez, spokesman of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
In the meantime, the shipment of the boxes with the electoral ballots to the farthest points of the country was being expedited.
“We are at 50% progress. We have concluded with several distant departments; in total there are 10 departments plus vote abroad. We are already distributing 12,000 electoral boxes”, said electoral director Gloria López.
The vote abroad will take place, as in the first round, in 15 cities of the United States. The electoral board in charge expects an increase in the number of Guatemalans that go to the polls and surpass the affluence of June 25.
“We have very high expectations, people are participating more in this second occasion. In the first one we did not have many volunteers, (but) now we are having more volunteers, declared the president of the electoral board for voting abroad, Nelly Arteaga.
According to Arteaga, there were around 1,452 voters in the U.S. and it is expected that the figure could be surpassed.
“People are already more informed, some consulates are doing DPI delivery days so that they can all be ready with their DPI -identity document- to get to vote,” she said.
More than 3,400 voting centers will be set up on Sunday, August 20 to receive more than 9 million Guatemalans eligible to elect the next president and vice-president of the country. In addition, municipal elections will be repeated in 5 municipalities of the country.
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.
Central America
Ancient Maya Ceremonial Site Reveals New Clues About Preclassic Ritual Practices
An international team of archaeologists has uncovered a unique Maya ritual structure at the pre-Hispanic site of El Tigre, located in Guatemala’s northern department of Petén, offering new insights into ceremonial practices and social organization during the Late Preclassic period (100 B.C. – A.D. 150).
The discovery was announced on Monday by researchers from the Lechugal Norte–El Tigre Archaeological Project, a multidisciplinary initiative involving experts from Guatemala, France, Mexico, and Canada who have been conducting excavations in the area during the 2025 and 2026 field seasons.
“This is a structure with highly distinctive characteristics that allow us to make significant advances in understanding ritual practices at sites of medium-scale monumentality,” said project director Julien Hiquet during a press conference.
The structure, named “Okox” — meaning “mushroom” in the Indigenous Q’eqchi’ language — features a distinctive keyhole-shaped design and stands out for its exceptional state of preservation. Unlike many Maya structures, it was not modified or covered by later construction phases, enabling researchers to study its original architectural features.
According to the archaeological team, El Tigre functioned as a residential and administrative center that supported thousands of inhabitants during the Preclassic era.
Excavations at the site revealed several infant burials strategically placed within the platform’s fill as ritual offerings. Researchers also uncovered the remains of a high-ranking adult male buried in a seated position and accompanied by a stingray spine awl, an object commonly associated with bloodletting and self-sacrifice ceremonies in Maya culture.
Officials highlighted the significance of the discovery for understanding the development of Maya society and religion. Guatemala’s Vice Minister of Cultural and Natural Heritage, Rossina Cazali, described the find as “a window into a pivotal stage” of Maya history.
Archaeologists believe the findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of ceremonial traditions, political organization, and social dynamics in the Maya lowlands during a critical period of cultural development.
-
International18 hours agoUNHCR Urges U.S. Deportation Agreements to Uphold Asylum Rights and International Law
-
International18 hours agoMbappé Ties Klose on All-Time World Cup Scoring List After Brace Against Iraq
-
Central America18 hours agoAncient Maya Ceremonial Site Reveals New Clues About Preclassic Ritual Practices
-
Central America11 minutes agoCosta Rica Launches Largest Police Operation in History, Dismantles Major Drug Cartel
-
International8 minutes agoCristiano Ronaldo Makes History as First Player to Score in Six World Cups
-
International3 minutes agoU.S. Proposes Higher Citizenship Fees and Limits on Immigration Fee Waivers

























