El Salvador’s naval force reported on Friday that it had seized 1.5 tons of cocaine being transported by a vessel manned by three Ecuadorians in international waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Minister of Security, Gustavo Villatoro, highlighted during a press conference that this year alone, authorities in the Central American country have seized 9.2 tons of drugs. He added that the recent seizure took place 600 nautical miles southeast of Bocana El Cordoncillo.

U.S. Ambassador William H. Duncan praised the Salvadoran Armed Forces on social media for their “effective” efforts against drug trafficking, stating that their work “continues to yield results.”

“These seizures make El Salvador, the region, and the United States safer, strengthening hemispheric stability and prosperity,” the diplomat stated.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro said on Wednesday that the logistical failures in the distribution of electoral materials in some voting centers in the country’s two most important cities during the primary and internal elections held last Sunday must be investigated.

“The causes or reasons behind the problems in those areas, both in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, need to be investigated,” Castro told journalists during a working visit to the city of Siguatepeque in central Honduras.

For reasons that have not yet been fully clarified but are under investigation by the Public Ministry (Prosecutor’s Office), hundreds of electoral ballots were delivered with more than a twelve-hour delay in the two major cities, which caused widespread discontent and outrage, and led many people to end up voting until the early hours of Monday.

What was most surprising was that the materials – the distribution, oversight, and custody of which are the responsibility of the Armed Forces at the national level – did not reach many voting centers in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula on time.

Young talent Lamine Yamal and Brazilian forward Raphinha secured Barcelona’s spot in the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over Benfica (4-1 on aggregate) on Tuesday at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc.

Raphinha (11’) opened the scoring for Barça after a brilliant assist from Yamal. However, Benfica’s Nicolás Otamendi (13’) quickly leveled the match with a header from a corner kick. Yamal restored the lead (27’) with a stunning goal, and Raphinha sealed the victory (42’) just before halftime.

Determined to avoid any surprises, Barcelona started aggressively, with early attempts from Yamal and Lewandowskisignaling their intent to dominate. All goals came in the first half, securing a convincing win and a place in the next round.