Central America
El Salvador’s President extends support and offers “all necessary help” to Turkey after earthquake
February 6th |
The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, expressed his government’s full support to Turkey after the violent and fierce earthquake that shook that region of the world on Sunday night, affecting the Turkish nation and much of Syria.
Through his Twitter account, President Bukele showed his condolences for the hard moment that the Turkish people and the whole region are going through, while he assured that El Salvador is ready to offer “all the necessary help”.
“El Salvador prays for the safety and well-being of the Turkish people after the strong earthquake in southern Turkey. My government is willing to provide all necessary assistance to the government of President @RTErdogan to overcome this disastrous event,” Bukele published.
Last Sunday night (Salvadoran time), a 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook southern Turkey and northern Syria. Up to the early hours of this morning, international media reported that more than 900 people died and more than 5,000 were injured.
Central America
El Salvador sees 45% surge in international tourists during holiday period
Tourism in El Salvador continues to grow during the holiday period, with a 45% increase in international arrivals compared to 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism.
Tourism Minister Morena Valdez reported that the country received around 48,000 foreign visitors between Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29, surpassing the 33,000 recorded during the same period last year.
International visitor behavior remains consistent, with most travelers arriving at the El Salvador International Airport and heading directly to coastal destinations, particularly Surf City and the beaches of La Libertad.
“Sun and beach tourism accounts for 80% of global travel demand. Surf City, with all the positioning work that has been done, is where visitors go, especially because it is close to the airport,” Valdez said in an interview.
However, tourism activity is not limited to La Libertad. Other destinations such as Costa del Sol, Surf City 2, as well as beaches in the western and eastern regions of the country, are also experiencing high visitor traffic.
Central America
Panama seizes over 1,200 drug packages in container bound for Lithuania
Authorities in Panama reported the seizure of 1,251 packages of suspected drugs hidden inside a shipping container bound for Lithuania, just days after intercepting another shipment of similar size headed to the same destination.
The Panama Public Prosecutor’s Office stated on social media that, through its Colón Drug Prosecutor’s Office and in coordination with the National Anti-Drug Directorate, authorities carried out the operation. The illicit substance was discovered inside a container scheduled for export.
Last Friday, officials also seized 1,506 packages of drugs in another container destined for Lithuania.
While authorities have not specified the type or exact weight of the seized substance, drug packages in Panama typically weigh around one kilogram each, and cocaine remains the most commonly confiscated narcotic in the country.
So far this year, Panamanian authorities have reported multiple drug seizures. Among them was a shipment of 5,356 packages intercepted on January 17, when agents of the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) stopped a vessel near the Pearl Islands archipelago in the Pacific.
According to official figures, in 2025 Panama seized 129 tons of drugs and 47.8 tons of chemical precursors, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat international drug trafficking.
Central America
Guatemala narrows emergency measures to hardest-hit gang violence areas
The government of Guatemala has narrowed the scope of its state of emergency to the areas most affected by gang violence, Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda announced on Thursday.
The measure comes two months after coordinated attacks attributed to the Barrio 18 left 11 police officers dead.
President Bernardo Arévalo initially imposed a state of siege in mid-January following the violence, which was reportedly in retaliation for government intervention in three prisons where gang leaders had staged uprisings.
That measure, which allowed arrests without a warrant, expired after one month. It was then replaced by a less restrictive “state of prevention,” alongside an increased security deployment in Guatemala City and surrounding areas.
According to Villeda, the state of prevention has been extended for two additional weeks but will now apply primarily to the central department of Guatemala — home to the capital — and Escuintla, which have recorded the highest levels of homicides and criminal activity.
“We need to continue these joint operations between the police and the military to maintain control,” the minister said.
The measure will also remain in effect in border departments including Petén, San Marcos and Huehuetenango, which border Mexico, as well as Izabal, which borders Honduras and Belize, in an effort to prevent the entry of criminal groups linked to drug trafficking.
Villeda added that in the past two weeks, homicides have dropped by 25% and extortion cases by 33% compared to the same period in 2025.
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