Central America

Honduran Congress fails to reach agreement to elect Superior Court

Photo: Radio Progreso Honduras

November 24 |

The Permanent Commission of the Honduran Congress, which is composed of nine deputies of the ruling Libre party, including the head of the Legislative, Luis Redondo, appointed Wednesday a special commission to be in charge of the selection process of the judges of the Superior Court of Accounts (TSC).

Meanwhile, in a parallel session, the opposition benches agreed to create another commission to take charge of this selection. The constitutional period of work of the current officials of the TSC expires next December 7.

During this session of the opposition benches, deputy Iroshka Elvir (Partido Salvador de Honduras, PSH) served again as acting president, while Suyapa Figueroa (PSH) and Marlon Lara (Partido Liberal) served as secretaries. Days before, these deputies were denounced for usurpation of functions and abuse of authority.

What happened deepened the division within the Legislative, where out of 128 seats at least 65 correspond to opposition benches which insist on not dialoguing with the ruling party on core aspects of the legislative agenda, in this case the election of a group of authorities, which must be done in periods of time foreseen in the Constitution.

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The member of the permanent commission, congresswoman and secretary of the Congress Luz Angélica Smith (Partido Libertad y Refundación, Libre, ruling party) announced that between November 27 and December 4, the Secretariat will be receiving nominations to integrate the TSC.

The special commission created by the Permanent Commission will conduct interviews with the candidates, examine their resumes, evaluate them and then must present a list for election.

The opposition rejected the election of the commission carried out by the Permanent Commission and reiterated its narrative that such body is trying to substitute the Plenary.

Due to the intransigence of the opposition benches, the Permanent Commission relied on the Constitution to appoint, weeks ago, authorities such as the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General.

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Guatemala’s president rules out negotiations with inmates after prison riots

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo stressed that his administration will not negotiate with inmates nor restore concessions granted under previous governments, insisting that the Executive’s priority is to maintain control of the prison system and restore order in detention centers.

Arévalo said one of the key measures implemented by authorities was the blocking of mobile phone signals inside prisons, an action he described as decisive in regaining control of the Renovación 1 penitentiary.

The riots reported at Renovación 1, Fraijanes 2, and the Preventive Detention Center for Men in Zone 18 of Guatemala City were aimed at pressuring the state to recover privileges that had been recently revoked, Arévalo said during a press conference held Wednesday at the National Palace of Culture.

The president explained that inmates were seeking to reinstate special detention conditions, including air conditioning, king-size beds, and internet access, benefits that he said were eliminated by the current administration.

“They attempted to extort the state in order to return to that system of privileges, but they failed,” Arévalo emphasized.

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Central America

Mazatenango Carnival cancelled amid State of Siege in Guatemala

The municipal government of Mazatenango, in the department of Suchitepéquez, Guatemala, has cancelled the city’s traditional Carnival as a security measure aimed at protecting visitors and residents.

The decision was announced on Tuesday through the municipality’s official Facebook page and comes as a preventive action amid the state of siege declared by the national government last Sunday.

The Mazatenango Carnival, one of the country’s most emblematic festivities, boasts more than 140 years of traditionand typically draws large crowds from across Guatemala and neighboring regions. Its program usually includes parades of floats, the traditional “Rabbit Race,” street dancing and live music, concerts, and cultural events in the Central Plaza.

According to the official statement, the cancellation responds to the current security context and the restrictions associated with the state of siege, prioritizing public safety.

Municipal authorities clarified that the scheduled concert by La Arrolladora Banda El Limón will still take place separately and will be the sole responsibility of the private production company, independent of the cancelled carnival activities.

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Central America

Guatemala raises police death toll to nine after gang violence escalates

Guatemalan authorities raised the death toll of police officers killed in a wave of gang violence to nine on Monday, after one officer wounded in the attacks died from his injuries. The violence prompted the government to declare a state of siege.

Criminal gangs launched a series of coordinated attacks against police forces across several parts of the country in retaliation for the government’s recapture of three prisons, where gang leaders had been holding dozens of prison guards hostage. Authorities said the hostages were used to pressure officials into transferring gang leaders to facilities with looser security measures.

Eight police officers were killed on Sunday. Another officer, identified as Frayan Medrano, died Monday in a public hospital after being shot while riding a motorcycle with a colleague, who remains in critical condition, according to police and the Ministry of the Interior.