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
Arévalo warns of ‘Dark Interests’ targeting human rights defenders in Guatemala
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo de León warned on Thursday that human rights defenders are facing serious threats, aggression, and criminalization by “dark interests” embedded within the structures of the State.
“Today we are facing serious levels of threats, aggression, and criminalization against people who promote respect for human rights, coming from actors and criminal networks—sometimes embedded in State institutions—that refuse to accept that Guatemala is changing,” Arévalo said during a public event held at the former Government Palace.
During the event, authorities presented the Public Policy for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders 2025–2035, an initiative developed in compliance with a 2014 resolution from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR), issued in response to the killing of activist Florentín Gudiel Ramos in 2004.
Central America
Newborn found in Costa Rican dump survives two days in unsanitary conditions
Costa Rican media outlets report that a newborn baby was found in a garbage dump, where he had reportedly spent two days in unsanitary conditions.
Police located the infant after a resident alerted authorities upon hearing crying coming from a clandestine dumping site in the Rancho Guanacaste area. The newborn was discovered alive inside a drainage channel, covered in waste. He was immediately taken to the National Children’s Hospital, where he received medical care and is now in stable condition.
“The National Children’s Hospital confirms that we indeed received a newborn approximately four or five days old who was found in a wooded area near the Alajuelita roundabout. He was first taken to the Solón Núñez Clinic and then transferred to this hospital. As of now, the baby is in the emergency department in good condition. He arrived a bit cold, but he has been warmed, fed, and his initial physical exam is completely normal,” explained hospital director Carlos Jiménez Herrera, according to CR Hoy.
Central America
Arévalo accuses Porras and judge of undermining democracy in Guatemala
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo denounced a new attempt at a “coup” orchestrated by the Attorney General’s Office. He also requested an extraordinary session at the Organization of American States (OAS) to address the country’s ongoing political crisis.
The president has been at odds with Attorney General Consuelo Porras, who has been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union for being “corrupt” and “anti-democratic.” Since 2023, Arévalo has accused Porras of launching investigations against his party, Semilla, and the 2023 elections as part of a scheme to prevent his inauguration in January 2024.
From the presidential office, Arévalo has said he continues to “resist” the “coup plotters,” but tensions escalated last Friday when Judge Fredy Orellana, at the request of the Attorney General’s Office, ordered the electoral court to annul the Semilla party’s promoter group. Arévalo interpreted this as an attempt to revoke the positions won by the party.
“Orellana, a hitman who distorts the law in service of Consuelo Porras, is attempting to force […] the unconstitutional removal of a mayor, 23 elected deputies […], the vice president, and the president of the country,” Arévalo said in a televised address on Sunday.
“We call on the international community not to turn a blind eye to the coup being attempted in Guatemala,” he added, speaking alongside his cabinet and congressional members at the National Palace in Guatemala City.
Arévalo requested that the Organization of American States hold an extraordinary session to present “the serious threats” to the Guatemalan Constitution and democracy perpetrated by Porras and Orellana.
Yesterday, Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez reaffirmed the president’s statements, emphasizing the need “to go and expose the situation” Guatemala has been facing since last week due to the actions of the Attorney General’s Office.
Arévalo warns of ‘Dark Interests’ targeting human rights defenders in Guatemala
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