Central America

Candidates in the final stretch of Guatemala’s presidential runoff election

Photo: AP

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.

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“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.

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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.

Related Topics:Elections Guatemala presidential runoff

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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.

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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.

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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.

Central America

U.S. Defense Secretary to Close Multinational Military Exercises in Panama to Protect Canal

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will travel to Panama next week to close multinational military exercises involving more than 20 countries aimed at strengthening security measures for the Panama Canal against potential threats, a Panamanian government official announced Monday.

This will mark Hegseth’s second visit to Panama. The U.S. defense chief is expected to arrive on August 13 for the closing ceremony of the military drills, which began this week and have been conducted in the Central American country for more than two decades to support the protection of the interoceanic waterway, according to Panama’s Security Minister Frank Ábrego.

The exercises include participation from the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru and the United Kingdom, among other nations.

“The canal is a strategic infrastructure that connects markets and supports global supply chains. Its security and uninterrupted operation are of fundamental importance for Panama, the United States and the international community,” said U.S. Ambassador to Panama Kevin Marino Cabrera.

The drills include maritime training operations, exercises in jungle areas surrounding the canal, as well as virtual simulations focused on cybersecurity and strategic planning.

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The Panama Canal, one of the world’s most important trade routes, handles approximately 5% of global maritime commerce, making its security a priority for international trade and logistics networks.

Ábrego emphasized that preparedness and international coordination are essential to maintaining stability.

“The best way to preserve peace and guarantee the continuity of global trade is to be prepared to respond in a coordinated and effective manner to any threat,” the Panamanian official said.