Central America

Rival Honduras lawmakers name two Congress presidents

AFP

Honduras lawmakers named two Congress presidents in separate ceremonies Sunday, as a dispute between members of president-elect Xiomara Castro’s party deepened days before her inauguration.

As the 128-member Congress on Friday opened its first session since being elected in November, MPs came to blows in the Congress chamber, physically confronting one another in a dispute over who should lead the body for its four-year term.

Members of Castro’s leftist Libre party put forward the name of Jorge Calix, one of their cohorts, but Castro loyalists claimed this violated a pact with Libre’s coalition partner.

Nineteen dissident lawmakers were expelled from the party after Friday’s rebellion, as the US embassy in Tegucigalpa called on Twitter for “political actors to remain calm, engage in dialogue, refrain from provocative rhetoric and violence, and urge their supporters to express themselves peacefully while respecting the rule of law.”

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Calix has been branded a “traitor” by Castro and a majority of Libre’s 50 lawmakers, who on Sunday named Luis Redondo of Libre’s coalition partner, the Savior Party of Honduras (PSH), as Congress president at a ceremony in the Congress building.

Separately, Libre dissident members with backing of rightwing parties named Calix at a separate event held at a private venue.

Both groups claimed they had a majority of votes.

Castro recognized Redondo as Congress president in a tweet Sunday, and invited him to her swearing-in ceremony on Thursday. US Vice President Kamala Harris is among the international guests due to attend.

But analyst Eugenio Sosa of the National University told AFP the crisis could result in Castro not being sworn in.

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“There is a danger of a new coup d’etat,” he said.

Calix promised Sunday to work for Castro’s program, in spite of her rejection of his nomination.

Castro won election on November 28 to become the first woman president of Honduras and end 12 years of National Party (PN) rule.

She accuses the dissidents of siding with the outgoing PN to undermine her promised anti-corruption campaign.

She won as part of an alliance between Libre and the PSH, to which the presidency of Congress was promised.

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Hundreds of Libre supporters, called by Castro, gathered outside Congress overnight in a protest against the dissidents’ actions.

Central America

Arévalo calls for ‘rescue’ of Guatemala’s Prosecutor’s Office amid leadership change

Bernardo Arévalo said on Monday that the next attorney general must prioritize “rescuing” the Ministerio Público de Guatemala, amid the ongoing process to replace current chief Consuelo Porras.

Speaking at a press conference, the president stressed that the country needs leadership capable of restoring the institution after years of criticism and controversy.

“What the country needs is someone who can rescue the Prosecutor’s Office from the abuses it has suffered as a result of being co-opted by criminal networks, and who can restore its ability to operate effectively and independently,” he stated.

His remarks come as a commission prepares to select six candidates for the position of attorney general later this week.

Arévalo will then be responsible for appointing the new head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office for the 2026–2030 term, in a decision seen as crucial for the country’s institutional future.

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Central America

Panama and Costa Rica strengthen border alliance to combat organized crime

Panama and Costa Rica strengthened a strategic alliance on Saturday aimed at enhancing border security and jointly tackling transnational organized crime, following a high-level bilateral meeting held in Paso Canoas, in Panama’s Chiriquí province, according to Panama’s Ministry of Public Security.

“The effort strengthens digital border control and enables a more effective response to organized crime,” said Frank Abrego, Panama’s Minister of Public Security. He added that “operational integration between both countries increases anticipation and response capacity to threats.”

During the meeting, Abrego and his Costa Rican counterpart, Mario Zamora Cordero, reaffirmed their commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in territorial protection and citizen security.

Paso Canoas is a key customs hub in the region, handling goods arriving in Panama through the Panama Canal and the Colón Free Zone, which are then distributed across Central America, as well as regional exports.

Zamora described the meeting as “effective and productive,” emphasizing the importance of sustained police cooperation to confront criminal structures operating in the region.

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As part of the agenda, authorities inaugurated a new operations center for the National Border Service in the Progreso sector. The facility is designed to strengthen monitoring and control through surveillance technologies such as cameras and drones, as well as real-time information sharing between both countries.

Authorities also announced the delivery of eight vehicles to reinforce patrol operations, along with intensified joint operations at key border points.

Officials stated that these measures will increase operational presence, improve response capabilities, and enhance security for border communities.

Both ministers agreed that coordination between Panama and Costa Rica has helped maintain a “calm, stable, and developing” border, and announced further meetings, including one in San José, to advance new security agreements.

In this context, in February 2024, both countries inaugurated the Paso Canoas Integrated Control Center on the Costa Rican side, a 14,000-square-meter facility designed to streamline procedures and manage the daily flow of around 200 cargo trucks and 800 people crossing from Panama.

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The meeting brought together senior officials from both nations’ security forces, who advanced joint strategies to combat threats such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and smuggling, through coordinated action and intelligence sharing.

This bilateral effort underscores both countries’ commitment to ensuring citizen security and sends a clear message of joint action against organized crime.

Sports

Ancelotti leaves door open for Neymar’s return to Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad

Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, current manager of the Brazil national football team, has opened the door to the possibility of Neymar being included in the final squad for the 2026 World Cup, according to an interview published Saturday by L’Equipe.

“At the moment, he is being evaluated by the Brazilian Football Confederation and by me. He still has two months to prove he has the conditions to play in the next World Cup,” Ancelotti said.

Neymar, 34, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, was left out of the most recent national team call-up for friendlies against France and Croatia. He is also still working to regain full fitness with Santos FC.

Since returning to his club, Neymar has played only a handful of matches in the Brasileirão and the Copa Sudamericana, including an upcoming match against San Lorenzo on April 28. These games could be key for him to convince Ancelotti ahead of the final squad announcement on May 19.

“Neymar has made and continues to make history in Brazilian football. He is a great talent, and it is normal for people to believe he can help us win the next World Cup,” the Italian coach added.

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When asked whether the former FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player must be at full fitness to earn a call-up, Ancelotti admitted he does not have a definitive answer but believes Neymar “is capable of returning to 100%.”