Central America

Bernardo Arévalo called Attorney General Consuelo Porras to a meeting

The president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, called a meeting next Wednesday with Attorney General Consuelo Porras, whom he accuses of leading an attempted “coup d’état” and who is expected to ask her to resign, as previously announced.

The government issued a statement this Friday reporting that the president, who took office at the beginning of the week, sent a formal invitation to Porras for a meeting in the presidential office, without specifying whether the request included his resignation.

The appointment is scheduled for January 24 at 10:00 a.m. local time (16:00 GMT) at the National Palace in the capital, according to the statement.

The social democratic president, 65, had previously announced that he would summon Porras this week to ask him to resign. Under the law, the president does not have the power to dismiss the attorney general.

“We will summon her to the office to ask her to resign. I have said it publicly and I reiterate it: at that appointment I will ask her to resign and I hope she has the good sense to hand it in,” Arévalo said in an interview with CNN in Spanish last Wednesday.

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Porras, 70 years old and considered “corrupt” and “undemocratic” by the United States, is accused by Arévalo, protesters and the international community of undermining democracy and endangering the presidential transition due to questioned investigations.

The Prosecutor’s Office led by Porras initiated legal action against Arévalo after he surprisingly advanced to the runoff in June.

In addition, he managed to get a judge to suspend Arévalo’s party, Semilla, for alleged irregularities in its formation in 2017.

The Prosecutor’s Office also maintains that last year’s elections are “null” due to alleged irregularities in the minutes containing the votes.

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Central America

Panama grants Martinelli 72-hour extension to travel to Nicaragua

On Monday (March 31, 2025), Panama extended the safe-conduct pass for former President Ricardo Martinelli by three more days to allow him to travel to Nicaragua, after the Central American country refused to receive him due to concerns over an alleged Interpol arrest warrant.

“The National Government has decided to extend the validity of the safe-conduct pass for an additional seventy-two (72) hours, until the end of Thursday, April 3, 2025,” the Panamanian Foreign Ministry stated in a communiqué. The original permit was set to expire Monday at midnight (05:00 GMT on Tuesday).

The Foreign Ministry explained that regarding the ‘humanitarian asylum’ granted to Martinelli last Thursday, which was set to expire Monday at midnight, the Nicaraguan government requested clarifications about an apparent Interpol alert, which had already been dismissed as inadmissible.

Additionally, the Panamanian Supreme Court of Justice, as the highest authority of the Judicial Branch, stated on Monday that it had “no objections” to granting asylum and a safe-conduct to Martinelli, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch.

Central America

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary urges Mexico to strengthen Guatemala border

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed on Monday that during last week’s meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, she urged Mexico to reinforce its border with Guatemala and share biometric datawith U.S. authorities.

“I gave her a list of things that President Trump would love to see. And it was exceptional. It was supposed to be a half-hour meeting, but we talked for nearly two hours. It was very productive,” Noem said in an interview with Fox News.

The Homeland Security Secretary requested that Sheinbaum, who has already deployed 10,000 National Guard troopsalong Mexico’s northern border with the U.S., also secure Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala.

Noem added that she also asked the Mexican president to share biometric data with the U.S., to which Sheinbaum responded that she was “willing to discuss it,” although she acknowledged that it could be a controversial issue in her country.

Central America

Panama police clarifies that Interpol alert for Martinelli is still pending

Panama’s National Police clarified on Sunday that an Interpol alert request for former President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) is still under review and has yet to be confirmed. Martinelli was granted a safe-conduct pass last Thursday to leave the Nicaraguan embassy, where he has been seeking asylum since February 2024 after being convicted of corruption.

“The National Police clarifies that there is currently an active process for an Interpol alert, requested by Judge Baloisa Marquínez, against former President Ricardo Martinelli. This request must be analyzed by Interpol’s General Secretariat (headquartered in France) for approval or rejection. If approved, it will be notified to member countries,” the police stated in a press release sent to EFE.

According to the statement, “at the moment, it remains an ongoing procedure, and former President Martinelli does not have a confirmed alert.”

The announcement came hours after National Police Director Jaime Fernández had told the press that an “Interpol alert” for Martinelli had been received on Friday.