Central America
Honduran Congress fails to reach agreement to elect Superior Court
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.
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.
Central America
Murdered Environmentalist Juan López Laid to Rest in Honduras Amid Mourning and Outrage
The remains of environmental activist Juan López, who was in the final stages of his fight to close an open-pit mine in Honduras, were buried on Monday amid scenes of grief and indignation, two days after his assassination.
A large crowd gathered to accompany López’s casket in a funeral ceremony at the Church of San Isidro, in front of the main square of Tocoa, the town where hitmen shot him as he left a Catholic church, 220 kilometers northeast of Tegucigalpa, on Saturday.
After the funeral, a long procession of vehicles followed the casket to the New Municipal Cemetery on the outskirts of Tocoa. As night fell, López was laid to rest in a grave, with mourners lighting up the scene with their cellphones.
“They took him from my arms,” said López’s widow, Thelma Peña, in an emotional speech at the cemetery. “They accomplished what they had been planning for a long time,” she added, recalling how she had repeatedly begged him to abandon his fight. “He told me, ‘I can’t stop,’” she said tearfully.
López’s murder recalls the case of renowned environmental activist Berta Cáceres, who was killed in 2016 in Honduras, a country that ranks among the deadliest for environmental defenders, according to the NGO Global Witness.
“You knew very well that the extractivist and mining model kills and destroys the world, along with the corruption of false politicians and narco-governments, but above all, you understood that the fight for the life of our people never ends,” said Bishop Henry Ruiz in a message from Rome, read during the funeral.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro has demanded the fullest investigation into the murder.
Central America
El Salvador bonds surge following president Bukele’s fiscal announcement
Bloomberg reported that on Monday, El Salvador’s international market bonds rose following President Nayib Bukele’s announcement that the 2025 General Budget will not require external financing.
The financial news outlet highlighted that Salvadoran securities “rose across the curve, with those maturing in 2035 gaining 2.2 cents to 80.6 cents per dollar, the highest level since 2021.”
Carlos de Sousa, Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio Manager at Vontobel Asset Management, noted in the Bloomberg article that the president’s statement signals the country is on the right fiscal path.
Other analysts believe that this market boost may also benefit the agreement that El Salvador is negotiating with the International Monetary Fund.
“We see the Salvadoran government and the IMF closer than ever to reaching an agreement after years of negotiations,” Lucas Martin, Alex Muller, and Jane Brauer from Bank of America told Bloomberg.
In August, El Salvador’s bonds experienced a similar surge after the IMF announced a preliminary understanding with the Central American country.
At that time, bonds due in 2052 jumped 2.6 cents to 80.4 cents per dollar, the biggest one-day gain in over a month, according to indicative price data.
Central America
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken congratulates El Salvador on 203 years of independence
U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken congratulated El Salvador on behalf of the U.S. government on the commemoration of its 203rd anniversary of independence.
“On behalf of the United States of America, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the people of El Salvador on the celebration of their Independence Day. On this special occasion, I reflect on the familial ties shared by our peoples and the important relationship between our governments,” said the U.S. official in a press release.
He also affirmed that the United States will continue promoting inclusive economic growth, citizen security with due process, and human rights in El Salvador.
“We welcome this special occasion as an opportunity to recognize our bonds of friendship and look forward to strengthening them even further in the coming year. I send my best wishes to the people of El Salvador this and every September 15th,” he added.
-
International2 days ago
Ukraine strikes with its drones one of the biggest blows of the war to the Russian arsenal
-
International3 days ago
Democrats pressure Donald Trump with a vote in the Senate on in vitro fertilization
-
International22 hours ago
Rapper Diddy appeals the judge’s decision to keep him in custody until the trial
-
Central America4 days ago
El Salvador bonds surge following president Bukele’s fiscal announcement
-
International4 days ago
Four injured in russian school hammer attack by 13-year-old student
-
International2 days ago
Ukraine allocates 10.8 billion euros more to its Army until the end of the year
-
International3 days ago
Petro considers that the ELN attack in Arauca “closes a peace process with blood”
-
International2 days ago
The death toll in the Gaza war exceeds 41,270, adding about twenty victims in the last few hours
-
International3 days ago
The US promises “not to spare resources” investigations into the assassination attempt against Trump
-
International2 days ago
President of Mexico concludes his government with 12,319 members of organized crime arrested
-
Central America4 days ago
Murdered Environmentalist Juan López Laid to Rest in Honduras Amid Mourning and Outrage
-
International22 hours ago
The Venezuelan Prosecutor’s Office processes the request for an arrest warrant against Javier Milei
-
International22 hours ago
The Government of Colombia clarifies that the dialogue with the ELN guerrillas “is suspended” after the attack
-
International22 hours ago
Biden replies to Trump that the United States is strong because it is a nation made up of immigrants
-
International3 days ago
Blinken promises González Urrutia and Machado that he will defend “democracy” in Venezuela
-
International3 days ago
The Government of Ecuador decrees a curfew in six provinces during a national blackout
-
International2 hours ago
The United States assures that the war is still avoidable between Israel and the Hizbulah group
-
International3 days ago
The Venezuelan Parliament presents a draft agreement on the rupture of relations with Spain
-
International4 days ago
El Salvador’s Independence celebrated with flag displays in New York and Qatar
-
International3 days ago
Harris expresses confidence in the Secret Service and criticizes Trump’s anti-migrant rhetoric
-
International3 days ago
Record registration of Latino voters after Harris’ arrival in the presidential race
-
International2 days ago
Manipulated ‘you’ searches’ and a fake message: what is known about the explosions in Lebanon
-
International2 hours ago
Cuba will denounce the impact of the US embargo before the UN General Assembly
-
International2 hours ago
Crashed nuclear plant in the US will reopen to supply energy to Microsoft
-
International2 hours ago
An official plane from Venezuela makes an emergency landing in the Colombian city of Cúcuta
-
International2 hours ago
Guterres talks to Maduro and expresses his concern about post-electoral violence
-
International2 days ago
Hezbulá announces a “specific” reprisal to the “Israeli massacre” against its militiamen in Lebanon
-
International2 hours ago
A report blames the Secret Service for the security failures in the Trump attack