Central America

Salvadoran heroes who provided aid in Turkey return home

Photo: @elsalvador

February 19 |

After nine days away from home, the Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR) El Salvador and the Humanitarian Rescue Unit (HRU) of the Armed Forces, made up of 111 rescuers, military and health personnel, who carried out search and rescue work in Turkey, returned to Salvadoran soil.

This nation was strongly affected last February 6 by two earthquakes of magnitude 7.8 and 7.6 on the Richter scale, and El Salvador was one of the first countries to send rescue support.

The Salvadoran heroes landed on their return flight on Saturday afternoon at the San Oscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport, where they were received by the authorities of the Ministries of the Interior, Defense, Health, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and the directors of Civil Protection and Firefighters.

“Thank you, a great job, it is a pride to work with you, it is a pride to have you at home, welcome heroes”, were the words of the Minister of the Interior, Juan Carlos Bidegain.

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He added that thanks to the work done, El Salvador was able to demonstrate in Turkey that it has highly prepared teams that have now been placed among the elite USAR teams around the world.

“We are the ones who are grateful to you, what you have done, what you have done is incredible, what you have done is wonderful,” said Bidegain.

For his part, Erick Vázquez, lieutenant of the USAR-EL SALVADOR group, in his report to the authorities, highlighted the rescue of two people alive.

“We have done a job with all the logistics involved, we went to put into practice everything we learned. We had the joy of performing two rescues, a minor and a woman of approximately 30 years of age, we are proud to have done it”, celebrated Vázquez.

He explained that during their stay in Turkey, from February 9 to 17, they worked in 15 buildings, in which the canine unit and the rescuers did the work they were assigned to do, earning the respect and admiration of USAR groups from the rest of the world.

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“Leaders of other USAR groups around the world have told us that we have positioned ourselves among the best, along with France, Germany and Egypt, among others,” Vazquez said.

The recognition given by the leaders of other USAR groups was also shared by Defense Minister Rene Francis Merino Monroy.

“I want to highlight the level of the two search teams of El Salvador [USAR and UHR] to provide assistance to other countries,” said the official.

At the same time he added: “We have in El Salvador a response team that can highly prepared to help foreign countries”.

Merino Monroy congratulated the USAR and UHR team of the Armed Forces for putting the name of El Salvador on high and fulfilling the mission entrusted to them.

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“The mission that was entrusted to them, to the USAR and UHR group of the Armed Forces, to rescue lives was fulfilled, in addition to reviewing and cleaning each of the buildings in which they worked,” said the minister.

Turkey’s ambassador to El Salvador, Gül Büyükerşen, also received the heroes and expressed her gratitude for the support of the Salvadoran teams, as well as to President Nayib Bukele’s willingness to help from the first moment.

“President Nayib Bukele was one of the first leaders who spoke with my president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, by phone (after the earthquakes),” said the diplomat.

In addition, he stressed that “El Salvador may be a small country (in territory), but it has a big heart”.

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Central America

Panama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find

Panama’s exclusive Geisha coffee variety retains the full genetic purity of its Ethiopian ancestors and preserves a distinctive sensory profile, according to two studies presented by the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP).

“Ensuring that the genetics we have in Panama remain 100% pure is vital for the country’s future,” Ricardo Koyner, president of Panama’s specialty coffee association, told EFE.

Panamanian Geisha coffee has gained international fame after breaking price records at global auctions. In the latest auction, a kilogram sold for more than $30,000.

The variety is highly sought after, particularly in Asian markets, for its complex flavor, which differs from traditional strong coffee, as well as its distinctive floral aroma.

Studies confirm genetic purity and unique flavor

A genetic analysis conducted in France found that Geisha coffee trees grown in Panama retain the same genetic lineage as the original plants from Ethiopia. Those plants are preserved at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Costa Rica, through which the coffee variety reached Panama.

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“We compared Panama’s Geisha with the original Geisha from CATIE, which is the ancestral reference. The genetics are exactly the same,” explained Christophe Montagnon, director of the study.

According to Montagnon, the findings indicate that Panama has preserved the genetic heritage of the variety over the years.

A second study focused on the sensory characteristics of Panamanian Geisha coffee and identified a distinctive note of white flowers or jasmine, described as particularly sweet and similar to the sensation of drinking jasmine tea.

Fabiana Carvalho, a flavor neuroscientist at the University of Campinas in Brazil, said the characteristic is highly valued in the international specialty coffee market.

“Coffees from Panama that have these sensory markers will be perceived, and already are perceived, as authentic. The final consumer, the coffee drinker, is willing to pay more,” said Carvalho, who led the study aimed at identifying the flavor markers that distinguish Panamanian coffee.

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The findings reinforce the reputation of Panama’s Geisha coffee as one of the world’s most distinctive and valuable specialty coffees.

Central America

Honduran Lawyer and Protected Witness in Angie Peña Case Shot Dead

Honduran lawyer and former judicial official Dereck McField was shot and killed on Monday morning, according to local media reports.

The attack took place in the street as McField was returning home after dropping off his young son at school, Honduran outlet HCH reported.

The killing sparked widespread concern after Honduras President Nasry Asfura later confirmed that McField was a protected witness in the case of Angie Peña, a Honduran university student who disappeared on January 1, 2022, while riding a jet ski on an island.

Authorities suspect Peña was trafficked to a criminal network for sexual exploitation. Her jet ski, life jacket and other belongings were found days later on a cay in Belize.

Four men — three Americans and one Honduran — have been charged in connection with the case and remain in pretrial detention as proceedings continue.

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At the start of the judicial process in 2024, authorities said they had evidence indicating that Harold Green allegedly sold Peña to William James Murdock for money. Prosecutors said the case included phone records, videos, photographs and witness testimony.

Search operations have been carried out since then in an effort to locate Peña, but she has not been found. Authorities have said they continue to hope that she is alive.

The three U.S. defendants live in Honduras and have tourism-related investments in Roatán.

McField’s killing raises new questions about the safety of witnesses involved in the high-profile case and comes as authorities continue investigating Peña’s disappearance.

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Central America

Guatemala Declares Highest Alert in Areas Affected by Fuego Volcano Eruption

Guatemalan authorities declared a red alert, the highest level of danger, on Tuesday in areas affected by the eruption of the Fuego Volcano, located about 35 kilometers from the country’s capital.

The most active volcano in Central America entered an eruptive phase on Monday morning, and its activity intensified overnight with lava emissions and large columns of gas and ash.

No fatalities have been reported, but the volcanic activity forced the evacuation of around 500 people as a precautionary measure.

The National Coordination for Disaster Reduction (Conred) declared a state of emergency in the departments of Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango and Escuintla, the agency announced through its official X account.

The affected regions are home to approximately 1.6 million people. However, ashfall has so far impacted only about five municipalities.

Despite the increase in the alert level, authorities reopened a road leading to the city of Antigua, the country’s main tourist destination, after evaluating safety conditions in the area.

The Fuego Volcano is one of Guatemala’s most active geological formations and has a history of frequent eruptions, requiring continuous monitoring by national emergency agencies.