Central America
Xiomara Castro becomes first woman president of Honduras
AFP
Leftist Xiomara Castro was sworn in Thursday as the first woman president of Honduras, vowing to reform the crime- and poverty-stricken nation into a “socialist and democratic state.”
Castro, 62, took the oath at a massive ceremony attended by international dignitaries after an embarrassing week of fighting within her party that challenged her authority.
In her first official address at the Tegucigalpa National Stadium, Castro denounced “the social and economic tragedy confronting Honduras” and promised to make work of improving education, healthcare, security and employment.
She said she was inheriting a “bankrupt” country which she intended to reshape into a “socialist and democratic state.”
Honduras’s public debt is about $17 billion.
The oath was sworn before Judge Karla Romero, flanked by Castro’s choice of Congress president, Luis Redondo, who draped the presidential sash over his new boss before a crowd of about 29,000.
The guests included US Vice President Kamala Harris, King Felipe VI of Spain and Taiwan Vice President William Lai.
– ’12 years of struggle’ –
Castro’s election last November brought an end to 12 years of right-wing National Party (PN) rule that followed the ousting of her husband Manuel Zelaya as president in a 2009 coup.
“Twelve years of struggle, 12 years of resistance. Today the people’s government begins,” Castro said on Twitter Thursday.
But the lead-up to the swearing-in was marred by a disruptive rivalry within her Libre party, which is in a majority alliance in Congress.
Libre factions split on who should be the legislature’s new president, coming to blows in the Congress chamber and then holding rival inaugural sittings.
Castro accused supporters of Redondo’s rival for the Congress presidency, Jorge Calix, of being in cahoots with the PN and other forces she said wanted to undermine her anti-corruption drive.
Juan Orlando Hernandez of the PN, her predecessor, is accused by US prosecutors of protecting drug traffickers in exchange for bribes.
– ‘Everyone wants to leave’ –
Castro assumes office with a full load of tasks ahead of her.
Hondurans are fleeing the country in droves, often to the United States, in search of work and a better life.
Castro spoke of a poverty rate of 74 percent, a figure she said “in itself explains the caravans of thousands of people of all ages fleeing to the north — Mexico and the United States — looking for a place and a way to survive in spite of the risk to their lives” from gangs and smugglers along the way.
“Everyone wants to leave because there’s no work. If there were more job opportunities here, there would be no need to look for another country,” university student Jensi Davila told AFP in Tegucigalpa.
Adding to the exodus, Honduras’s murder rate is nearly 40 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Among the crowd celebrating Castro’s inauguration, seamstress Esther Lopez expressed hope that the situation “is going to change, because Xiomara has been supporting the cause of the poor for many years and because of ‘Mel’ Zelaya, who was a good president.”
– Migration talks –
Harris urged Castro to fight corruption, seen as a root cause of Central American migration, in talks after the inauguration ceremony.
The first foreign official to have a bilateral meeting with Castro, Harris welcomed the priority the new president had placed “on countering corruption and impunity, including her intent to request the assistance of the United Nations in establishing an international anti-corruption commission,” a readout from Harris’s office said.
Castro needs international support to renegotiate foreign debt of $11 billion.
It is an issue, according to former prime minister Edgardo Paz, which requires agreement “with the multilateral institutions where Washington has a lot of influence.”
Castro also held a meeting with Lai, who conveyed Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s congratulations to Castro on becoming Honduras’s first woman leader, according to a statement from Tsai’s office.
Honduras is one of just 14 countries to recognize Taiwan.
China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, has spent decades encouraging the island’s allies to switch sides, with much success.
On the election campaign, Castro vowed to “immediately open diplomatic and commercial relations with mainland China” if she won.
According to the presidential statement, Lai — who came bearing a consignment of Covid-19 prevention supplies — said he invited Castro to visit the self-ruled island, adding that a meeting between Taiwan and Honduras’s first woman presidents would be a historic moment.
Separately, Harris and Lai had a brief exchange at the inauguration, Taiwan’s Central News Agency said, an encounter that will likely stoke US-China tensions.
They shared “a simple greeting” in which both “spoke briefly,” the agency said.
Their conversation was the first public interaction between US and Taiwanese vice presidents since Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, according to Fan Shih-ping, a political analyst at Taiwan’s National Normal University.
Castro announced part of her cabinet Thursday, with her son Hector Zelaya as private secretary and Jose Manuel Zelaya — her husband’s nephew — as defense minister.
Central America
Bukele Tops Latin America’s Presidential Approval Ranking in June, Survey Finds
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, and President Laura Fernández of Costa Rica are the three highest-rated leaders in Latin America, according to the latest June 2026 presidential approval survey conducted by CB Global Data. The study places Peru’s interim president, José María Balcázar, at the bottom of the regional ranking.
Bukele leads the list with a 69.1% approval rating and a 27.6% disapproval rate, improving on the 67.5% positive image recorded in May. The Salvadoran president has maintained a state of emergency since March 2022 as the cornerstone of his anti-gang security strategy, a policy that continues to shape public perceptions of his administration.
Sheinbaum, Mexico’s first female president, ranks second with a 65.5% approval rating and 31% disapproval. Although she remains among the region’s most popular leaders, her support declined from the 67.8% approval registered in May.
Completing the top three is Costa Rican President Laura Fernández, who recently assumed office and now records a 56.1% favorable rating against 37.1% negative opinion. Her approval has risen significantly from the 52.7% reported a month earlier.
At the opposite end of the ranking is Peru’s interim president, José María Balcázar, who received only 18.2% positive approval while 71.7% of respondents expressed a negative view of his administration. Despite remaining last in the survey, he showed a slight improvement compared to previous measurements.
Second from the bottom is Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, with a 29.5% approval rating and 64.8% disapproval. Nevertheless, she registered the largest increase in positive perception among all leaders surveyed, gaining more than five percentage points compared with the previous month.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo rounds out the group of lowest-rated leaders, posting a 33.1% approval rating against 63% disapproval. His support level declined from 36.9% in May.
Just outside the top three is President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic, who achieved a 54.8% approval rating and 42.2% disapproval, despite a decline from the 60.2% support recorded a month earlier.
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña follows with a 48.3% favorable rating and 48.2% disapproval, improving slightly compared with May. Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ranks sixth with a 47.6% approval rating and 48.1% disapproval, down from 49.5% the previous month. Lula is expected to seek another term in Brazil’s presidential election scheduled for October 2026.
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz fell to seventh place after experiencing the largest decline in the survey. His approval rating dropped to 46.4%, while disapproval climbed to 52.3%, representing a loss of more than nine percentage points compared with May.
The CB Global Data survey, conducted across 18 Latin American countries, reflects shifting public sentiment toward regional leaders and highlights the growing influence of Central American presidents among the continent’s most highly rated governments.
Central America
Civil Protection Reports Dozens of Weather-Related Incidents Following Weekend Storms
El Salvador’s National Director of Civil Protection, Luis Amaya, on Monday presented a preliminary assessment of the impacts caused by heavy rainfall recorded between June 5 and June 7, which was linked to a low-pressure system that generated intense precipitation across parts of the country.
According to the report, authorities responded to five landslides, 38 fallen trees, 34 blocked roads, and 55 flooded homes. Officials also recorded three houses with minor damage, six urban flooding incidents, and 11 vehicles affected by floodwaters.
The severe weather also caused two rivers in the department of Santa Ana to overflow, increasing concerns about potential flooding in nearby communities.
Authorities urged residents to exercise caution when crossing rivers and streams, warning that water levels can rise suddenly even if rainfall is not occurring in the immediate area. Officials noted that precipitation upstream can rapidly increase river flow and create dangerous conditions.
Amaya stated that all institutions within the National Civil Protection System remain fully activated and prepared to respond to emergencies generated by the ongoing weather conditions.
Public Works Minister Romeo Rodríguez said the government has more than 1,300 pieces of equipment available to clear roads and respond to infrastructure-related emergencies.
“We are ready to ensure that the country’s roads remain accessible. We will be monitoring conditions closely to keep highways and roads open,” Rodríguez said.
The minister also renewed calls for the public to avoid throwing garbage onto streets and drainage systems, stressing that improper waste disposal contributes significantly to urban flooding, particularly in densely populated areas.
Authorities continue to monitor weather conditions as forecasts indicate the possibility of additional rainfall in the coming days.
Central America
Civil Protection Urges Immediate Evacuations as Tropical Storm Cristina Brings Flooding Risks
El Salvador’s Civil Protection authorities urged residents living in high-risk areas to comply immediately with evacuation orders as Tropical Storm Cristina continues to bring heavy rainfall and dangerous conditions across the country.
Civil Protection Director Luis Amaya announced on Monday that 180 pre-equipped shelters are ready to receive families living in vulnerable communities, providing temporary refuge while the threat from the storm persists.
“If authorities ask you to evacuate, please do not refuse,” Amaya said. “While flooding may cause material losses, protecting human life and ensuring people’s safety must remain the top priority.”
Heavy rains and increased wave activity along the Pacific coast have already caused flooding in parts of La Libertad. According to official forecasts, Tropical Storm Cristina is expected to influence weather conditions throughout the week.
Amaya noted that the populations most at risk are those living near rivers, streams, and areas prone to landslides or slope failures.
To address concerns about personal property, the official stated that the National Civil Police and the Armed Forces have joined the emergency response plan to safeguard homes and belongings left behind by evacuees.
“We can guarantee that their belongings will remain safe and that their possessions will be protected while they stay in the shelters,” Amaya said.
He also highlighted the participation of several government institutions in the emergency response, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Office of the First Lady, the National Civil Police, and the Armed Forces, among others.
As part of the National Contingency Plan, authorities have activated evacuation routes and shelter networks across the country to facilitate the safe relocation of residents from areas exposed to flooding, landslides, and other storm-related hazards.
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