Central America

Talks planned to end 100-year Guatemala indigenous dispute

AFP

Hundreds of indigenous people lifted their blockage of a major road in Guatemala on Tuesday after an agreement was reached for talks to resolve a bloody century-old land dispute.

On Monday, members of the Mayan K’iche group had blocked the Interamericana highway with the caskets of 11 of the 13 victims of a weekend massacre in which four children aged between five and 16 were alleged killed with machetes.

The roadblock was lifted after an agreement among residents who had traveled to Guatemala City to meet government officials to try to start talks over a legal border between two rival communities.

“A dialogue will begin in the first half of January, where the issue of the border will be discussed,” said Mateo Tzep, 42, a community leader from Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan municipality that is in conflict with the neighboring Nahuala.

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Although both communities are K’iche, they have been fighting over land — at times violently — for more than 100 years.

On Friday night, armed men with “high caliber” weapons ambushed a group of people from Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan who went to the village of Chiquix in Nahuala to pick corn.

The children were cut into pieces and the victims were then burnt inside the truck they were traveling in. A police vehicle was also attacked, leaving one officer dead and two injured.

The Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan community claims those in Nahuala have stolen some of their land.

On Monday, President Alejandro Giammattei declared a month-long state of siege in the two communities, which means demonstrations and the right to carry weapons are banned.

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“These events are no longer the product of an ancestral land conflict. They are the direct consequence of an illegal armed and organized group that acted against civilians and security forces through an ambush,” said Giammattei.

He vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Three men carrying M16 rifles were arrested on Sunday. Authorities said they would carry out forensic tests on the weapons to see if they were used in the massacre.

Protesters had blocked the Interamaericana — one of Guatemala’s main highways, which links the capital to the west — with tires, tree trunks, rocks and concrete blocks.

“We don’t want any more deaths, we don’t want any more violence. We are looking for peace and justice,” said a man at the roadblock who identified himself only as Diego.

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Indigenous people, many living in poverty, make up more than 40 percent of Guatemala’s almost 17 million population, according to official statistics.

Central America

Costa Rica Goes to the Polls as Voters Choose Continuity or Change

Costa Ricans head to the polls today to elect the president of the republic and 57 members of the Legislative Assembly for the 2026–2030 term. Voters must choose between continuing the political project of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves by supporting the ruling right-wing candidate Laura Fernández, or opting for a change in direction proposed by the opposition.

Fernández, representing the Pueblo Soberano Party (PPS), leads opinion polls with close to 40% of voting intention, bolstered by the outgoing president’s approval rating, which exceeds 50%. Chaves is barred from seeking immediate re-election under Costa Rican law.

Trailing far behind is Álvaro Ramos of the National Liberation Party (PLN), with less than 10% support. He is followed by Claudia Dobles of the Citizen Agenda Coalition (CAC), Fabricio Alvarado of New Republic (NR), and Ariel Robles of the Broad Front (FA), each polling between 3% and 5%. Undecided voters, who account for more than 30% of the electorate, could determine the outcome of the presidential race or force a runoff.

In a statement, Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) reaffirmed its commitment to transparent and secure elections. “As has been the case for more than 76 years of democratic life in our country, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal guarantees all Costa Ricans that the national elections to be held this Sunday, February 1, will meet the highest standards of security and absolute transparency, allowing us to continue enjoying electoral processes in peace and freedom,” the institution said.

Authorities reported that 53,251 party observers will take part in the electoral process. Of these, 12,472 belong to the Social Christian Unity Party, 11,524 to Pueblo Soberano, 10,451 to the PLN, and 4,141 to the Citizen Agenda Coalition, among others. In addition, six political parties have sworn in 7,520 members of polling station boardsdeployed nationwide.

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Central America

U.S. and Guatemala Sign Trade Deal Granting Zero Tariffs to Most Exports

The United States signed a reciprocal trade agreement with Guatemala on Friday, under which 70.4% of Guatemalan exports will enter the U.S. market tariff-free.

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo highlighted the importance of the agreement, stating that it creates a framework of cooperation, certainty, and new opportunities for producers, workers, and entrepreneurs in the country. His remarks were shared in a video published on his official social media channels.

In 2025, 30.3% of Guatemala’s total exports were destined for the United States, amounting to approximately $4.3 billion. As a result, the agreement is expected to directly benefit key sectors of the Guatemalan economy, including agribusiness, manufacturing, and the textile industry.

“Today we have taken another step toward consolidating a country that, when it moves forward united, generates confidence, attracts investment, and creates real development opportunities for all its people,” Arévalo added.

The agreement with Guatemala follows a similar trade deal signed by the United States with El Salvador on Thursday, which includes the elimination of a 10% tariff on Salvadoran imports.

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Central America

Panama Supreme Court Strikes Down Panama Ports Concession as Unconstitutional

Panama’s Supreme Court of Justice has ruled unconstitutional the concession contract granted in 1997 to Panama Ports Company (PPC), a subsidiary of the Chinese conglomerate CK Hutchison, which operates two strategic ports along the interoceanic canal. The decision was announced on Thursday, January 29, 2026, following two lawsuits filed by the Comptroller General’s Office.

The ruling directly affects the management of the ports of Balboa, on the Pacific coast, and Cristóbal, on the Atlantic side, both of which have been operated by the company for nearly three decades. According to Panama’s Comptroller General, Anel Flores, an audit uncovered irregularities in the contract that resulted in more than $1.3 billion failing to enter state coffers.

“It is a predatory contract, abusive to the interests of the country,” Flores stated.

The Supreme Court determined that Law 5 of 1997, its subsequent amendments, and the automatic extension granted in 2021 are unconstitutional. The ruling noted that the contract renewal took place without adequate oversight and amid allegations of corruption, despite the Panamanian state holding only a 10% stake in the company.