Central America
Saving Guatemala’s poisonous ‘Sleeping Child’ lizard
AFP
With its sharp claws, scaly skin and venomous bite, Guatemala’s “Sleeping Child” lizard has earned itself few human friends.
One of them, forest ranger Juan Alvarado, has spent the last 17 years of his life trying to save the much-maligned creature from extinction.
Alvarado, 68, works at a forest reserve in Guatemala’s Zacapa department that is dedicated to saving the Guatemala Beaded Lizard (Heloderma charlesbogerti), dubbed Nino Dormido (Sleeping Child) by locals for its lethargic gait.
He expertly handles one specimen, rescued from a nearby village, holding it deftly by the head and body and placing it gently on the ground.
Seemingly nonplussed, the lizard slinks off into the undergrowth.
“People used to say that if you see a Heloderma, you’re dead,” Alvarado said of the reptile’s foul reputation.
While the lizard does pack a painful bite, it is rarely deadly to humans who nevertheless view it as a mortal enemy.
Projects to save the critter include encouraging villagers to bring lost specimens to the park — sometimes in exchange for payments of food.
Its venom, explained Alvarado, was being studied for possible use in cures for diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
Yet the creature has a fearful reputation, and individuals who stray into areas inhabited by humans are frequently killed.
Sleeping Child lizard numbers have been further decimated by human encroachment on its ever-shrinking habitat, climate change, and capture for sale as exotic pets.
At one point, they could fetch as much as $2,000 apiece in Europe, said Alvarado.
Given the multitude of threats, Guatemalan conservation officials estimate there are only about 600 individuals left in the world — an increase from 200 two decades ago.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the lizard as endangered.
Central America
El Salvador extends condolences to Turkey following deadly hotel fire
The Government of El Salvador extends its condolences and expresses solidarity with the Government of Turkey following the death of at least 76 people and more than 50 injuries in the fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Province on January 21.
“El Salvador offers its hopes for the swift recovery of those affected and expresses its deepest sympathy to the families of the deceased due to this tragic event,” said a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Our country reaffirms the strong bonds of friendship shared with the Republic of Turkey, especially during this time of profound sorrow.”
The Turkish government began burying the victims on Wednesday, amid accusations of negligence.
Central America
ANDA to replace 49 km of pipelines in San Salvador by 2025
The president of the National Administration of Aqueducts and Sewers (ANDA), Jorge Castaneda, announced that the complete replacement of pipelines in San Salvador will continue in 2025 as part of efforts to reduce water leaks and modernize the distribution system.
Castaneda explained that in the northern area of the San Salvador Metropolitan Area (AMSS), which supplies 30% of its users, approximately 24 kilometers of pipelines will be replaced. Meanwhile, an additional 25 kilometers will be renewed in the eastern zone of the AMSS. These interventions are part of a strategic plan to minimize unaccounted-for water losses caused by decades of neglect and lack of maintenance of the infrastructure.
“We will continue repairing leaks, but it’s essential to go further and implement complete infrastructure replacements. This is a long-term investment project,” said Castaneda.
The official also highlighted that in the first months of 2025, over 27,000 leak repairs have been carried out, while more than 3,000 interventions have already been registered this year.
Among the projects underway, Castaneda mentioned the pipeline replacement in the Los Héroes neighborhood near Cuscatlán Stadium, where 3 kilometers of pipelines are being renewed, directly benefiting 2,500 people.
Central America
Venezuelan opposition leader to meet Costa Rican president Rodrigo Chaves on thursday
Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia will meet with Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves this Thursday, the Presidential Office of Costa Rica announced today.
“We will give a warm welcome to the person who won the July elections in Venezuela, and we continue to denounce electoral fraud,” President Chaves stated during his weekly press conference.
Meanwhile, Costa Rican Foreign Minister Arnoldo André explained that González Urrutia is visiting Costa Rica to “inform the president and provide details about the situation in Venezuela, the victory he achieved with over 7 million votes on July 28, and the electoral fraud committed by Nicolás Maduro’s regime, which fraudulently swore him in as president.”
González Urrutia is currently in Guatemala, having arrived from the Dominican Republic as part of a tour through several countries ahead of the controversial inauguration on January 10, during which the Chavista leader Nicolás Maduro was sworn in as president by the National Assembly, controlled by the ruling party.
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