Central America
Witness details how weapons entered prisons during the truce
May 2 |
Today, this public hearing continued with the appearance of the first six of 42 witnesses, the Specialized Sentencing Court C, in San Salvador, continued, this Tuesday, with the public hearing against former President Mauricio Funes and former Minister of Security, David Munguía Payés, in the case “Truce between gangs”, through which the FMLN government granted benefits to the gangs in exchange, allegedly, to stop attacking the Salvadoran population.
Among the first six witnesses are the heads of the monitoring and intelligence center, and the deputy directors of security at the Izalco prison in Sonsonate and the Zacatecoluca prison in La Paz. All the witnesses are part of a group of 30 people summoned by the Attorney General’s Office.
The six witnesses confirmed the granting of benefits for gang members held in both prisons and meetings to plan, together with the leaders in prison, the actions of the gang members who were on the street, all of which were endorsed by Munguia Payes and the former president.
“I want to denounce seven illegal acts committed by the authorities of the prisons, the Ministry of Security and the government during the period of the truce: One was the entry of mediators without registration; the departure of gang members, clique leaders, to other prisons to meet with other leaders; intimate visits without due permission and procedure; the entry of discos to entertain parties inside the prison; the entry of scantily clad dancers; the simulation of searches and the removal of machines that had information on everything carried out in the prison,” said the former deputy director of security at the Izalco prison.
According to the witness, all of these actions were endorsed by the director of the prison, Juan José Zepeda, and the director of prisons, Nelson Rauda, who received orders from both defendants.
“These people asked the so-called mediators of the truce, who at the beginning were Monsignor Fabio Colindres, Raul Mijango, Roberto Diaz and various street gang leaders, to enter without going through the three security rings,” the witness said.
As well as the deputy director of security at the Izalco prison, one of the people in charge of the monitoring and intelligence center at the prison also pointed out how the mediators, and those who met with the gang members, brought food and objects to Fabio Colindres, Raul Mijango, Roberto Diaz and Father Toño, as Antonio Rodriguez Tercero, a Passionist priest, is known.
In addition to detailing how these weapons would have been brought into the Izalco prison, through the punching bag, both said that the supposed mediators always arrived with briefcases and bags and that when they tried to be searched, they always made calls so that the security guards in charge of the prisons would be ordered to let them pass without any procedure or review.
“On one occasion a simulated search was carried out, these were not programmed, on that occasion 50 cell phones were located in sectors 1 and 2 of the Izalco prison, however, none of these were reported, and at the end of the search all were returned to the gang members,” said the deputy director of security at the Izalco prison.
The Specialized Sentencing Court C of San Salvador expects the public hearing to last five days. During this period, 30 witnesses are expected to appear, and one of Munguia Payes’ defense attorneys has reported that they will present between 10 and 12 witnesses to refute the accusation.
Central America
Honduras Warns of Possible New Dengue Epidemic as Cases Continue to Rise
Honduras could be on the verge of a new dengue epidemic, according to physician and Honduran lawmaker Carlos Umaña, who warned about the sustained increase in cases across the country.
“We are on the verge of a new dengue epidemic because cases have been rising steadily,” Umaña said, urging citizens to take preventive measures. “Let’s eliminate breeding sites so we do not face fatal consequences later,” he added.
According to official data cited by Honduran media, the country had recorded 5,780 dengue cases nationwide through epidemiological week 26, covering the period from June 28 to July 4.
Of that total, 1,362 patients developed dengue with warning signs, while at least 100 cases progressed to severe dengue, increasing pressure on the national healthcare system.
Although current figures represent a decline of nearly 39% compared with the same period in 2025, when more than 9,400 cases had been reported, health authorities continue monitoring the situation due to the risk of a new surge.
Umaña warned that if the spread of the virus is not contained, Honduras could face an increase in fatalities, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children and adolescents.
Health officials continue urging the population to remove mosquito breeding sites and strengthen prevention measures to reduce transmission of the disease.
Central America
CDC Issues Level 2 Travel Alert for Costa Rica Amid Chikungunya Outbreak
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 2 travel notice for Costa Rica following an outbreak of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral disease, urging U.S. travelers to “take additional precautions”when visiting the country.
On July 1, 2026, Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health declared an active chikungunya outbreak after confirming four casesand classifying 17 additional infections as probable among Costa Rican citizens and foreign nationals.
So far in 2026, Costa Rica has reported a total of 16 confirmed cases, including those linked to the current outbreak.
Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Symptoms usually appear three to seven days after a bite and may include high fever, severe joint and muscle pain, headaches, swelling, and skin rashes.
Although most people recover within about a week, some patients may experience persistent joint pain that can last for months or even years.
According to the CDC, there are currently no specific medications to treat chikungunya, but rest, adequate fluid intake, and over-the-counter pain relievers can help reduce symptoms.
The agency recommends that travelers visiting areas affected by chikungunya outbreaks consider vaccination as a preventive measure.
The CDC also warned that certain groups face a higher risk of developing severe illness, including newborns infected during birth, adults aged 65 and older, and people with underlying conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.
While chikungunya can cause significant health complications, the infection rarely results in death, health authorities said.
Sports
MLS Awaits Blockbuster Debuts as Griezmann and Lewandowski Join the Spotlight
While Major League Soccer awaits Lionel Messi’s return, the league will experience a major spotlight moment on Wednesday with the highly anticipated debuts of two new global stars: Robert Lewandowski and Antoine Griezmann.
French forward Antoine Griezmann, 35, could make his first official appearance for Orlando City when the team visits the San Jose Earthquakes, one of the surprise performers of the current MLS season.
The attacker recently ended his long spell with Atlético Madrid and has already made an early impression with his new club, scoring one of the goals in Orlando’s 6-0 friendly victory over Tampa Bay Rowdies of the United States’ second division.
Orlando is counting on its new star to help turn around a difficult season that began with the dismissal of Colombian coach Oscar Pareja after the team lost its first three matches.
Under Argentine manager Martín Perelman, Orlando City currently sits 13th in the Eastern Conference with 14 points from 15 games, outside the playoff qualification positions.
The team entered the break for the North American World Cup after suffering a heavy 6-2 defeat against FC Cincinnati on May 23.
Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski was originally expected to make his Chicago Fire debut last Thursday when MLS resumed play after the international break.
The Polish striker, who will turn 38 in August, was scheduled to step onto the Soldier Field pitch against the Vancouver Whitecaps, coached by Thomas Müller, his former teammate at Bayern Munich.
However, the match was postponed due to poor air quality in Chicago caused by smoke from wildfires in southern Canada.
Lewandowski has continued preparing for his first professional experience outside European football.
“One thing I can say about Robert is that he has an incredible work ethic,” Chicago Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter said on Tuesday.
“He joined us after dealing with jet lag throughout last week, and he was still demanding from his teammates during training. He does extra work afterward. You can see why he has scored more goals than anyone else in Europe over the last 15 years, because he is an absolute professional,” added the former United States national team coach.
The arrival of Griezmann and Lewandowski adds even more star power to an MLS season already boosted by international figures, as clubs continue attracting some of the biggest names in world football.
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