Central America
Wildlife summit to vote on ‘historic’ shark protections
| By AFP | Francisco Jara |
A summit on the international trade in endangered species will decide today whether to ratify a “historic” proposal to protect sharks, a move that would drastically restrict the lucrative global shark fin trade.
The proposal would place dozens of species of the requiem shark and the hammerhead shark families on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
That appendix lists species that may not yet be threatened with extinction but may become so unless their trade is closely controlled.
The initiative was one of the most discussed at this year’s CITES summit in Panama, with the proposal co-sponsored by the European Union and 15 countries. The meeting began on November 14, and ends on Friday.
If Thursday’s plenary meeting gives the green light, “it would be a historic decision, since for the first time CITES would be handling a very large number of shark species, which would be approximately 90 percent of the market,” Panamanian delegate Shirley Binder told AFP.
Shark fins — which represent a market of about $500 million per year — can sell for about $1,000 a kilogram in East Asia for use in shark fin soup, a delicacy.
The vote follows a hectic debate that lasted nearly three hours, with Japan and Peru seeking to reduce the number of shark species that would be protected.
“We hope that all of this will (now) be adopted in plenary,” said Binder.
The plenary will also vote on ratifying a proposal to protect guitarfish, a species of ray.
Heated debate
Several delegations, including hosts Panama, displayed stuffed toy sharks on their tables during the earlier Committee I debate.
After the heated debate, the request to protect requiem sharks went to a vote, garnering above the needed threshold and calming the waters for the subsequent hammerhead shark debate.
Delegates and directors of conservation organizations, who are observers at the summit, are confident that both proposals will be ratified.
“We hope that nothing extraordinary happens and that these entire families of sharks are ratified for inclusion in Annex II,” Chilean delegate Ricardo Saez told AFP.
‘Extinction crisis’
The world is currently in the middle of a major shark extinction crisis, Luke Warwick, director of shark protection for the NGO Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), told AFP at the beginning of the summit.
During the committee debate, Japan had proposed that the trade restriction be reduced to 19 species of requiem sharks and Peru called for the blue shark to be removed from the list. However, both suggestions were rejected.
Participants at the summit considered 52 proposals to change species protection levels. CITES, which came into force in 1975, has set international trade rules for more than 36 000 wild species. Its signatories include 183 countries and the European Union.
Central America
Guatemalan Congress removes immunity from electoral judges amidst allegations
December 1 |
In a fresh blow to democracy in Guatemala, the country’s congress approved on Thursday the removal of immunity from four judges of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) to face alleged corruption charges, parallel to the ongoing investigations against President-elect Bernardo Arévalo by the Prosecutor’s Office.
The decision against the electoral judges was endorsed by 108 votes out of the 160 legislators in the Parliament, stripping the TSE members of their immunity and exposing them to potential investigation and arrest by judicial authorities at any time.
Votes in favor of lifting the immunity of electoral magistrates Irma Palencia, Mynor Franco, Gabriel Aguilera, and Ranulfo Rojas came from members of the political group Vamos, led by Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, and his allies in Congress.
According to the Guatemalan Prosecutor’s Office, the four accused judges committed crimes such as abuse of authority, fraud, and dereliction of duties.
The Public Ministry alleges irregularities in the purchase of an electoral results transmission system used in the elections on June 25 and the runoff on August 20. Since July, the Prosecutor’s Office has been attempting to challenge the electoral victory of President-elect Bernardo Arévalo from the Semilla Movement.
President-elect Arévalo declared on September 1 that the Attorney General, Consuelo Porras, is orchestrating a coup against him to prevent his inauguration.
In November, the Prosecutor’s Office also sought the removal of immunity from Bernardo Arévalo and Vice President-elect Karin Herrera, intensifying political and social uncertainty in Guatemala just weeks before they are set to assume their offices.
The request for the removal of immunity must be endorsed by the Supreme Court before it is debated in Congress. The Prosecutor’s Office aims to take the President-elect to trial for his alleged support of the occupation of a state university in 2022.
Central America
Nicaragua’s Ministry of Governance provides medical attention to detainee Rolando Álvarez
December 1 |
The Ministry of Governance in Nicaragua reported on Thursday that on November 29 and 30, the established protocols for medical care, laboratory exams, and result readings were adhered to for Rolando Álvarez, who is serving a sentence for Treason against the Homeland.
According to a statement, the medical attention provided to Álvarez took place at the Jorge Navarro National Penitentiary System, where he is currently held.
The Nicaraguan ministry accompanied the text with photographs illustrating the conditions under which Álvarez was attended to, as well as the parameters of the analyses conducted on November 29, the results of which were read on this day.
According to the photographs, the medical attention began on Wednesday at 2:00 PM local time, administered by an internist, and included weight control exams, checks on arms, skull, and abdomen, measurement of oxygen saturation, blood sample collection for laboratory testing, and an electrocardiogram.
“All of the above was carried out in accordance with the Program of Medical Care, visits, and package deliveries that we have been diligently implementing on the specified days and dates,” details the document.
On November 28, the Nicaraguan government issued a statement reaffirming the preferential conditions under which Álvarez is serving his detention while ensuring the continued protection of his rights in all aspects.
Central America
Former prosecutor arrested for alleged embezzlement of $2.5 million from Honduras’ Central Bank
December 1 |
Former prosecutor Francia Sofía Medina, who previously served at the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime (Fescco) in Honduras, has been apprehended by members of the Technical Criminal Investigation Agency (ATIC). She is accused of the alleged embezzlement of approximately $2.5 million from the country’s Central Bank (BCH).
Investigations reveal that these withdrawals took place over the past two years without informing higher authorities within the Public Ministry. She faces charges of money laundering, abuse of authority, and the misappropriation, destruction, concealment, or disablement of documents in custody.
Furthermore, authorities conducted a search on Wednesday at the prosecutor’s residence in San Pedro Sula, Cortés, in the northern part of the country, seeking additional evidence.
Despite being on medical leave since July 2023, Medina submitted two additional refund requests to the Central Bank, which were processed without following proper administrative procedures.
However, the financial institution claims to have documentation supporting all deposits and withdrawals, serving as guarantees requested by authorized prosecutors from the Public Ministry. This information has been provided to the authorities through the San Pedro Sula branch.
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