Central America

Guatemala: Volcano of Fuego activity increases

Photo: Prensa Libre

May 4 |

In the Special Volcanological Bulletin BEFGO #019-2023, issued at 5:10 a.m. Insivumeh details that the volcanic surveillance network and reports from Insivumeh field observers confirm a progressive increase in the volcanic activity of Volcán de Fuego as of 2:00 a.m. this Thursday.

“So far a new eruptive stage of predominantly effusive characteristics has been observed, which is expressed through the formation of a lava flow in the direction of the Ceniza ravine,” reads the bulletin.

It adds that the eruptions generate constant avalanches, incandescence over the crater and constant sounds are reported accompanying the gas and ash column that so far is dispersed in a southwest direction.

“This activity is expected to increase in the next minutes to hours, forming gas and ash columns of greater height, violent explosions loaded with ash, lava flows in other directions and pyroclastic flows towards the Ceniza and Las Lajas ravines, which may travel distances between 5 and 7 kilometers. It is not discarded that these flows also descend by any other ravine, so you should not stay near or within the ravines of the volcano,” it is mentioned.

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According to Insivumeh, it maintains permanent visual and instrumental surveillance through seismic stations and OVFGO observers.

According to the SSG, during the early morning of May 4, an increase of activity in the Fuego volcano was observed through the Crelosa camera.

It points out that this activity has originated an accumulation of volcanic material in the direction of the Ceniza ravine, forming a lava flow in this area.

He adds that the activity persists “with moderate and strong explosions that generate ballistic fall, ash columns and rumblings that are sensitive to the population located in the surroundings of the volcano. Due to the constant activity, avalanches and pyroclastic flows may be generated in this and other directions”.

He points out that the ash dispersion, according to the wind direction record, shows ash displacement in a southwest direction. The maximum projected length according to wind speed is 8 km for deposits that can reach up to 10 mm in thickness and 30 km for those areas that can be affected by deposits of up to 1 mm.

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Central America

Panama Will Not Be Threatened, President Says Amid Rising Tensions With China

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino warned on Thursday that his country “will not allow itself to be threatened,” while expressing hope that tensions with China will ease following the cancellation of a contract allowing a Hong Kong-based company to operate ports along the Panama Canal.

Earlier this week, China, through its Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, said Panama would pay “a high price” for annulling the concession that has allowed a subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings to manage two ports on the interoceanic waterway since 1997.

The decision has angered Beijing, which, according to Bloomberg, has urged its state-owned companies to suspend negotiations on new projects with the Central American country.

“Panama is a dignified country and will not allow itself to be threatened by any nation on Earth,” Mulino said during a press conference when asked about China’s warnings.

However, the president added that he hopes the situation will not escalate. “I hope this does not spiral further; there is no reason for it to do so,” he said.

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The ruling by Panama’s Supreme Court came amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened to reclaim the Panama Canal—built by the United States—arguing that it is “under Beijing’s control.”

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian warned on Wednesday that Beijing “will firmly defend the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies.”

Central America

Bukele’s Approval Rating Climbs to 91.9% in El Salvador, Survey Shows

Approval of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele reached 91.9% at the end of 2025, up from 85.2% recorded in midyear, according to a survey conducted by the research unit of La Prensa Gráfica (LPG Datos) and published on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, the high approval rating is “mainly driven by improvements in security.” Of those surveyed, 62.8% said they “strongly approve” of Bukele’s performance, while 29.1% said they “somewhat approve.”

The main reasons cited for approving the president were the perception that security in the country has improved (33%), followed by the belief that the government has delivered changes and overall improvements (14.3%), and the view that Bukele has done a good job in general (11%), the report said.

Meanwhile, 5.9% of respondents said they disapprove of Bukele’s administration. Among them, 25.4% said that improvements have been limited solely to security, 5.6% cited a lack of transparency, and 2.8% pointed to arbitrary detentions.

“The approval of President Nayib Bukele stands at one of the highest levels since the start of his administration,” La Prensa Gráfica noted. According to the survey’s historical data, Bukele’s peak popularity was recorded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when his annual average approval reached 92.5%, a figure even higher than that seen during the state of emergency.

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Regarding campaign promises, 64.2% of Salvadorans believe that Bukele “is fulfilling the promises he made,” while 22.9% say he has “partially fulfilled” them, and 6.6% say he has “not fulfilled his commitments.”

When asked about the main “failure” of the president’s administration, 37% said there were none, while 10% pointed to the economy.

Central America

Laura Fernández Says She Will ‘Never’ Allow Authoritarianism in Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s president-elect, right-wing leader Laura Fernández, said she will “never” allow authoritarianism under her government, in her first speech after winning Sunday’s presidential election.

Fernández, the political heir of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, has been accused by her opponents of seeking to steer the country toward authoritarian rule through her hardline proposals against drug trafficking and plans to reform state institutions.

“I, as the new president of the Republic, will never allow authoritarianism or arbitrariness—things that no one wants in Costa Rica,” Fernández said to cheers from her supporters gathered at a hotel in the capital.

The 39-year-old political scientist criticized her rivals for centering their campaign on what she described as a narrative of “authoritarianism and dictatorship.”

“They tried to scare voters, but the electorate did not fall into the trap,” she said.

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Without offering details, Fernández acknowledged that her administration will seek to change the country’s “political rules of the game,” in what she described as a necessary step for Costa Rica, one of Latin America’s most stable democracies.