Central America

At least 13 killed in Guatemala Indigenous land dispute

AFP

At least 13 people were killed in western Guatemala, including women, children and a policeman, in a long-running land dispute between Indigenous villages, police said Saturday.

Police said the confrontation began on Friday and lasted until Saturday in an area located about 160 kilometers (100 miles) west of the Guatemalan capital by road.

Twelve people “have recently been found dead in the village of Chiquix, located on the side of Nahuala, which is a territorial boundary in the conflict with (the neighboring village) of Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan,” the National Civil Police (PNC) said in a statement.

It also reported the death of an officer, and added that “among the dead are children, men and women.”

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A “semi-burned” truck was found at the site, as well as a patrol car with bullet holes that is believed to have been attacked, police added.

Two other police officers were wounded, according to the statement, which did not give further details.

The conflict between the two municipalities inhabited by Indigenous Mayans dates back a century, President Alejandro Giammattei said in May last year, shortly after an escalation of violence in the area led him to decree a state of siege.

The differences “have persisted for more than 100 years” and have “claimed the lives of many, many villagers involved in the supposed defense of their lands”, Giammattei said at the time, when he also set up a dialogue to try to resolve the conflict.

Last August, Interior Minister Gendri Reyes made a commitment to the inhabitants of the area to reinforce police presence in both municipalities to prevent conflict.

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Law enforcement “reject this type of inhumane, irrational acts,” the police said after the new events.

Central America

Guatemala Dismantles Largest Cocaine Lab Found in 15 Years Near Mexico Border

Security forces in Guatemala discovered what authorities described as the largest cocaine laboratory dismantled in the country in the last 15 years, located in the southwest near the border with Mexico, officials announced on Wednesday.

Guatemalan Defense Minister Henry Sáenz said during a press conference that the operation was carried out as part of “Operation Ring of Fire,” a large-scale security initiative launched by the Guatemalan government and military to reinforce border controls and combat organized crime, particularly along the Mexican border.

The operation focused on the community of Zanjón San Lorenzo, in the municipality of Ayutla, San Marcos department, where authorities uncovered a sophisticated criminal compound made up of three interconnected buildings equipped to carry out the full cocaine production process.

“What we can preliminarily observe in these facilities is the complete production cycle used to produce cocaine ready for consumption,” Sáenz stated, adding that the investigation remains ongoing and additional findings could emerge.

The minister highlighted the scale and complexity of the laboratory, comparing it to previous major drug seizures in the country.

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“The last major laboratory we found was in El Estor, Izabal, in 2019, and that facility only processed coca paste,” he explained.

Authorities arrested eight individuals during the raid and seized a cache of weapons that included 14 military-style assault rifles, three 9mm pistols, and 1,306 rounds of ammunition.

Security forces also confiscated cash totaling 74,461 quetzales (approximately $9,600), $26,787 in U.S. currency, and 118,000 Mexican pesos.

Central America

Opposition leader highlights migration crisis in Panama speech

Opposition leader María Corina Machado recalled on Monday, during her final day in Panama, the thousands of Venezuelan migrants who crossed the dangerous Darién Gap jungle on their journey toward North America in search of better living conditions.

Speaking before Panama’s National Assembly, Machado stated that “more than 500,000 Venezuelans have crossed the Darién in search of freedom,” adding that many did not survive the journey.

Her remarks highlighted the Darién Gap as a central route in the recent regional migration crisis, where thousands of migrants—mostly Venezuelans—have attempted to travel north through one of the most dangerous jungle passages in the Americas.

According to migration data cited in recent years, the Darién route has seen daily flows of over a thousand migrants at its peak, reflecting the scale of the humanitarian challenge in the region.

Central America

Nicaragua’s Alliances With U.S. Rivals Could Trigger More Sanctions, Analysis Says

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to maintain political and economic pressure on the government of Nicaragua, led by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, due to its growing alliances with Russia, China and Iran, according to an analysis released Monday by the Centro de Estudios Transdisciplinarios de Centroamérica (Cetcam).

The report states that tensions between Washington and Managua have increased since the beginning of Trump’s second term and could worsen amid the regional political climate, particularly because of developments in Venezuela and Cuba.

Cetcam researchers noted that since the second half of 2025, the U.S. government has intensified criticism of the Sandinista administration, mainly regarding political prisoners, human rights, religious freedom and what it describes as the authoritarian model established by Ortega and Murillo.

“With this background, it is possible to foresee that Washington will maintain pressure, including sanctions, against the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship,” the think tank stated in its report.

The study also warns that one of Washington’s main concerns is the strengthening relationship between Managua and countries considered strategic rivals of the United States, particularly Russia, China and Iran.

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Among the developments highlighted is the recent ratification by the Russian Senate of a military cooperation agreement signed with Nicaragua in 2025. The deal is expected to strengthen strategic coordination and Russia’s presence in Central America for an initial five-year period.

According to Cetcam, the move will “hardly go unnoticed” by the United States.