Central America
Jailed Nicaraguan opposition figures face ill treatment, relatives say
AFP
Relatives of more than 180 jailed opponents of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s government on Monday denounced the ill treatment they said had been inflicted on the detainees, while Catholic leaders complained of “repression” and harassment by authorities.
Five organizations representing relatives of imprisoned opposition figures launched an “urgent appeal” for their immediate release because of their “extreme physical and mental deterioration.”
The imprisoned opponents are victims of a “policy of ill-treatment (…) in order to exhaust, exterminate or mutilate” them, said a joint press release.
More than 40 opposition figures accused of “undermining national integrity” and money laundering were arrested in the months running up to last November’s presidential election.
Seven of them were Ortega’s rivals in the presidential election, and their detention gave him an easy return to power for a fourth consecutive term.
The election was slammed as a “pantomime” in Brussels and Washington.
Since February, at least 45 opponents of the government have been sentenced to terms of up to 13 years in prison on charges of plotting to overthrow Ortega with US backing.
Relatives of the prisoners have frequently criticized conditions inside the prisons that sap the detainees’ health to the point where they need emergency hospitalization.
In February, Hugo Torres, a hero of the Sandinista guerrilla movement who fought with Ortega against the dictatorship of the Somoza dynasty but later turned against his old comrade in arms, died in hospital custody.
The organizations of prisoners’ relatives expressed particular concern over the health of Nidia Barbosa, a 66-year-old activist who suffers from “serious heart problems” and who was hospitalized last week.
The relatives also voiced solidarity with Rolando Alvarez, the bishop of Matagalpa in the north, who has been holed up in his church since Thursday and who started a hunger strike to protest the police surveillance he says he’s been the target of since denouncing the repression of the opposition.
Harvy Padilla, a parish priest in the southern city of Masaya, said that police are also preventing him from leaving his church, and that on Sunday they banned his congregation from attending mass.
Central America
Guatemala isolates Barrio 18 leader after attacks that killed 11 police
Guatemalan authorities have placed a leader of the Barrio 18 gang in an isolated cell without الكهرباء or “privileges” after he was accused of triggering a recent wave of violence that left 11 police officers dead, the government said on Sunday.
Members of Barrio 18, which is designated as a “terrorist” organization by both the United States and Guatemala, carried out the killings on January 18 in retaliation for the government’s takeover of three prisons that had been under the control of inmates linked to the group.
In response to the attacks, President Bernardo Arévalo declared a month-long state of siege, arguing that gang members were seeking better conditions in prison or transfers to lower-security facilities.
In a message posted on X alongside photographs, Arévalo announced the isolation of Aldo Dupie, also known as “El Lobo,” one of the gang leaders who allegedly directed the uprisings.
Images released by the government show Dupie inside a small cell with narrow windows, built from metal containers, in a secured area of the Renovación I prison in southern Guatemala — the same facility where the hostage-taking riot took place.
With a shaved head and a stern expression, the gang leader appears alone and in handcuffs, according to the photographs.
Guatemala’s prison system said the “new area,” protected by metal fencing and barbed wire, will house high-risk inmates who will remain without privileges or electricity.
Sports
Shakira ignites El Salvador with near sold-out residency at Mágico González Stadium
The recently renovated Jorge “Mágico” González Stadium is rolling out the red carpet for Colombian superstar Shakira, whose string of concerts has sold out almost entirely, confirming the powerful bond between the artist and Salvadoran fans.
The scale of the experience begins as soon as attendees arrive at the venue. Outside the stadium, organizers have installed several photo spots so concertgoers can capture a souvenir from the major event.
Fans attending the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour will witness a top-tier visual production, where technology and robotic lighting effects will shape an atmosphere that shifts dramatically from one segment of the show to another — moving from the intensity of ’90s rock to the festive explosion of urban pop.
Security and crowd management have been top priorities, with a coordinated operation aimed at ensuring smooth entry and exit, allowing spectators to focus solely on enjoying hits that have defined generations.
Beyond the music, the event marks a milestone for the country’s live-entertainment industry, positioning El Salvador as a destination capable of hosting artist residencies once reserved for cities such as Las Vegas or London.
The excitement is already visible across the capital: hotels are at full capacity and local businesses are riding the wave of enthusiasm sparked by the latest songs from the Colombian star.
Central America
Salvadoran fans plan birthday surprise for Shakira at historic show
The president of Shakira’s Fan Club in El Salvador was interviewed by Diario El Salvador on Saturday as she made her way to her entrance gate at Jorge “Mágico” González Stadium, ahead of the historic concert the Colombian superstar is set to perform in the country.
Before the first of the five shows that make up Shakira’s Salvadoran residency, the fan leader revealed that supporters had prepared a special surprise for the singer, who turned 49 on February 2.
“Today I’m here around the stadium with the props we made for her celebration, with postcards and her songs. We also have kits ready to sing ‘happy birthday’ to our She Wolf,” she said.
She explained that the group used social media to ask fans seated in the Ultra Platinum and Platinum sections to find them and pick up birthday pennants, party headbands, balloons and whistles. The idea is to sing “happy birthday” while Shakira introduces her band, offering what they describe as a special Central American welcome.
“For me, she has been a megastar since the first time I saw her in 1996. I saw her again in 2006, here at the stadium. Last year we traveled to Colombia three times to see her, and today I’m beyond excited that she chose El Salvador,” the fan said.
She added that visitors from across Central America and other countries have traveled for the concerts and will also have the opportunity to discover the country. “I’m very excited about everything she makes us feel,” she said.
Guatemala isolates Barrio 18 leader after attacks that killed 11 police
Shakira ignites El Salvador with near sold-out residency at Mágico González Stadium
Salvadoran fans plan birthday surprise for Shakira at historic show
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
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