Central America
Costa Rica receives nuns expelled from Nicaragua by Daniel Ortega

April 13 |
Costa Rica received on Wednesday two nuns of the Dominican Congregation of the Annunciation who left Nicaragua after being expelled by the government of President Daniel Ortega.
The bishop of the Diocese of Tilarán-Liberia, Monsignor Manuel Eugenio Salazar, expressed his willingness to provide any support required by these nuns, who also have Costa Rican nationality, as well as their families and the rest of the congregation.
“The two religious sisters of the Dominican congregation of the Annunciation, Isabel and Cecilia Blanco Cubillo, expelled from Nicaragua, were received by their sister Violeta Blanco Cubillo together with her husband, Carlos Vargas, after 2 p.m., today, Wednesday 12”, informed the diocese in a communiqué.
The women were in charge of the Lopez Carazo Foundation Home for the Elderly, in the city of Rivas, in the south of Nicaragua, on the Pacific coast. However, the Ortega government gave the nuns 72 hours to leave the country, reported Confidencial, directed by journalist Carlos Fernando Chamorro.
Along with the Costa Rican nuns there was also a Salvadoran woman in charge of the Home for the Elderly.
The Nicaraguan government has not made any statement on the expulsion of the nuns.
Voice of America asked for comments from the expelled missionaries, but they declined to talk about it.
The López Carazo home for the elderly was founded in 1916, according to local media, and the land where it is built was donated by the family of former president Evaristo Carazo.
Nicaragua is going through a political crisis which on April 18 will be five years old, with no way out in sight.
Ortega has undertaken a persecution against the Catholic Church, according to human rights organizations, and has expelled the Vatican envoy in Nicaragua, Waldemar Stanislaw Sommmertag. He is also keeping in jail an important bishop accused of “emitting false news”, among other crimes.
Central America
Guatemalan police officer killed in mob riots over baby kidnapping

A police officer was killed during riots provoked by an enraged mob in a Guatemalan town following the kidnapping of a baby, the government reported on Wednesday.
The incidents began on Tuesday night and continued into the early hours of Wednesday in the town of San Vicente Pacaya, about 25 km south of the capital, according to Minister of the Interior Francisco Jiménez.
“There was an incident in San Vicente Pacaya where, unfortunately, a police officer died after being struck in the head with a stone. He passed away this morning,” Jiménez said in a press conference.
He explained that the unrest erupted following the arrest of two suspects in connection with the kidnapping of “a baby just a few months old,” including a woman with a criminal record.
Sports
Venezuela investigates 18 baseball players seeking asylum in Spain

The Venezuelan government announced on Wednesday that it is investigating the case of 18 baseball players who are “under the supervision of Spanish authorities” after seeking protection.
In a statement, Venezuelan authorities said they are working to determine whether this case involves “a possible human trafficking scheme,” though they have not provided any evidence of such a crime.
The Venezuelan government emphasized its commitment to protecting the country’s athletes while also denouncing the use of international legal frameworks by certain governments allegedly seeking to discredit the administration.
CNN reached out to Spain’s National Police for a response to Venezuela’s claims. According to Spanish authorities, the 18 young athletes—including two minors—arrived in Spain to participate in a series of matches but had already planned to apply for asylum. Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that they had begun interviewing the players to process their international protection requests.
The team’s coach addressed the situation in a TikTok video, refuting local media reports that he had abandoned the athletes. He asserted that the players chose to remain in Barcelona to secure the necessary permits to sign with other teams and that their decision was unrelated to any political motivations.
Sports
Filipe Luis debuts as coach in Copa Libertadores with Flamengo

A two-time Copa Libertadores champion with Flamengo during his playing days, Filipe Luis will make his managerial debut in the tournament this Thursday when the popular Rio de Janeiro club faces Venezuela’s Deportivo Táchira.
Placed in Group C alongside Táchira, Liga de Quito, and Argentina’s Central Córdoba, Flamengo starts as one of the favorites—a major challenge for the 39-year-old former player.
His early coaching career has been off to a strong start.
After retiring in 2023, Filipe Luis took over as Flamengo’s head coach on September 30. Just 41 days later, he won his first title, the Copa do Brasil. The year 2025 has already brought two more trophies: the Supercopa do Brasil, where Flamengo defeated Botafogo—current Libertadores and Brasileirão champions—3-1, and the Campeonato Carioca.
At 8:30 PM local time (00:30 GMT Friday), Flamengo under Filipe Luis will make its international debut at Estadio Pueblo Nuevo in San Cristóbal. Although Gerson, Uruguayan Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and Ecuadorian Gonzalo Plata are unavailable, the squad still boasts attacking firepower with Bruno Henrique and Everton.
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