Central America
Nicaraguan man sentenced to 45 years in prison for multiple rape crimes in Costa Rica
Cruz Ramón Jiménez Morales, a Nicaraguan national, was found guilty of several rape crimes and sentenced to 45 years in prison in Costa Rica. According to information from the Costa Rican Public Prosecutor’s Office, Jiménez is charged with nine crimes, committed against three female victims.
The accused was initially sentenced to 66 years’ in prison. But because the maximum penalty in Costa Rica is 50 years, the sentence was reduced. At the trial, which ended last Friday, June 19, in a court in San José, he was found guilty of the crimes of rape, sexual abuse, assault with a weapon and aggravated robbery.
Authorities said that Jimenez Morales started the attacks against his victims four years ago. The first rape occurred in December 2016, after he intercepted the victim, who was about to meet with her brother. After threatening her with a gun, he took her to a remote area, where he raped her twice, the Attorney General’s Office reported. In January and February 2017, he attacked the other two victims. Twenty-three witnesses testified at the trial, and DNA evidence was also presented, linking the accused.
Central America
U.S. extradites Iranian man over alleged sanctions evasion scheme
The United States has extradited from Panama an Iranian national accused of evading economic sanctions against Iran by illegally exporting U.S. technology. He is scheduled to appear this Monday before a court in Seattle.
Reza Dindar, 44, was extradited on April 17 after being detained in Panama since July 2025 on charges related to export control violations between 2011 and 2012, allegedly carried out through companies based in China.
The defendant appeared before a U.S. district court in Seattle, where he faces charges of violating sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran in 1995 during the administration of Bill Clinton. These sanctions prohibit the unauthorized export, re-export, or supply—directly or indirectly—of U.S. goods, technology, or services to Iran or its government.
According to the indictment, between 2010 and 2014, Dindar led the company New Port Sourcing Solutions in Xi’an, China, which allegedly concealed the procurement of U.S. products for shipment to clients in Iran.
Central America
Bukele administration surpasses 1,100 homicide-free days amid ongoing crackdown
On Saturday, April 18, the Policía Nacional Civil (PNC) reported that no homicides were recorded in El Salvador, bringing the total to 17 days without murders.
With this update, the country has accumulated 91 homicide-free days so far in 2026. January closed with 27 such days, followed by 24 in February and 23 in March, according to police data.
During the administration of President Nayib Bukele, a total of 1,193 days without homicides have been registered. Of those, 1,079 have occurred since the implementation of the state of exception.
This extraordinary security measure has been extended 49 times by the Asamblea Legislativa de El Salvador, with the latest extension in effect from April 1 to April 30, 2026. Under the measure, more than 91,700 gang members and collaborators have been detained and prosecuted for illicit association.
Central America
Panama and OECD sign deal to boost investment climate and global integration
The Government of Panama and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) signed an agreement this Friday in Paris aimed at improving the country’s investment climate through data exchange, expert missions, and policy benchmarking.
“This is not a symbolic act. It is a strategic decision. A statement of intent. A commitment to transformation,” said Panama’s Foreign Minister, Javier Martínez-Acha, following the signing, according to an official statement.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by Martínez-Acha and OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann at the organization’s headquarters in the French capital.
According to Panama’s Foreign Ministry, the agreement establishes “a solid and forward-looking framework for cooperation,” enabling high-level technical collaboration through data sharing, comparative policy analysis, expert missions, and evidence-based recommendations.
Authorities stated that the initiative is expected to enhance the investment environment, boost competitiveness, and improve predictability, while also strengthening governance, fostering innovation, increasing human capital, and aligning the education system with global economic demands.
The agreement also opens the door for Panama to deepen its participation within OECD bodies, allowing the country to take part in discussions where global standards are defined.
Since taking office in July 2024, President José Raúl Mulino has prioritized efforts to remove Panama from international lists that label it as a tax haven, which his administration considers discriminatory.
As part of this strategy, the government restricted the participation of most European companies—except those from Spain, Italy, and Greece—in public tenders for major infrastructure projects, including a planned railway to the border with Costa Rica and a gas pipeline near the Panama Canal. This move came after the European Union kept Panama on its list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes.
Over the past year, Panama has made progress in this area, including its removal from the European Parliament’s money laundering list and Ecuador’s tax haven list.
U.S. extradites Iranian man over alleged sanctions evasion scheme
Elon Musk skips French court appearance over X investigation
Four injured in shooting at Teotihuacán archaeological site in Mexico
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America3 days agoPanama and OECD sign deal to boost investment climate and global integration
-
International2 days agoAir Canada suspends JFK flights amid soaring fuel costs linked to Iran conflict
-
International1 hour agoFour injured in shooting at Teotihuacán archaeological site in Mexico
-
Central America1 hour agoBukele administration surpasses 1,100 homicide-free days amid ongoing crackdown
-
Central America1 hour agoU.S. extradites Iranian man over alleged sanctions evasion scheme
-
International1 hour agoElon Musk skips French court appearance over X investigation