Central America
Guatemala opens centers to apply for legal migration to the U.S.
June 13 |
A program announced by the United States and Guatemala to discourage irregular migration from Central America began Monday with the launch of a website that will receive applications for refugee status, family reunification and visas from those seeking to reach U.S. territory.
The program, called Secure Mobility, on the website https://movilidadsegura.org will be administered by the US government, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), according to the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry.
“A form must be filled out, data must be entered; then an appointment will be scheduled in which it will be explained to people personally if they are eligible to opt for any of the existing mechanisms to migrate to the United States,” explained the Secretary of Communication of the Presidency of Guatemala, Kevin Lopez.
For his part, the US Ambassador to Guatemala, William Popp, said that it is “a virtual platform for Guatemalans, Salvadorans, Hondurans, Nicaraguans can access through a virtual way to find opportunities for legal channels for a safe migration, also orderly, between family reunification, work visa opportunities and also to apply for opportunities for the refugee program.”
Although it was announced that the platform would be available to schedule appointments from 10:00 a.m. on Monday morning it was not, and only in the afternoon were those interested able to start their formalities.
The Centers for Attention to Migrants and Refugees (Capmir), are located in the Guatemalan Air Force, Petén, Quetzaltenango, San Marcos, Quiché and Huehuetenango.
With the opening of these centers at origin, financed by the US, Washington is trying to establish migratory actions in countries that, like Guatemala, are used as transit countries by migrants fleeing poverty and violence in the region.
According to the website, all citizens covered by the Central American Free Mobility Agreement (CA-4), that is, citizens of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua who are in their countries, can register.
However, “not all persons requesting an evaluation will qualify or benefit from the program,” the site explains.
Those interested must be 18 years old, have a valid email address, a valid phone number or an international data plan. In addition, they will be asked for a stable internet connection, digital photographs of the applicant and their family members, as well as scanned copy or photographs of their identity documents such as passport and identity card, as long as they are available.
The information is completely free of charge. The pilot plan will run for six months.
The White House announced that these offices will also start working in Colombia on June 19, one week after Guatemala.
Central America
Opposition leader highlights migration crisis in Panama speech
Opposition leader María Corina Machado recalled on Monday, during her final day in Panama, the thousands of Venezuelan migrants who crossed the dangerous Darién Gap jungle on their journey toward North America in search of better living conditions.
Speaking before Panama’s National Assembly, Machado stated that “more than 500,000 Venezuelans have crossed the Darién in search of freedom,” adding that many did not survive the journey.
Her remarks highlighted the Darién Gap as a central route in the recent regional migration crisis, where thousands of migrants—mostly Venezuelans—have attempted to travel north through one of the most dangerous jungle passages in the Americas.
According to migration data cited in recent years, the Darién route has seen daily flows of over a thousand migrants at its peak, reflecting the scale of the humanitarian challenge in the region.
Central America
Nicaragua’s Alliances With U.S. Rivals Could Trigger More Sanctions, Analysis Says
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to maintain political and economic pressure on the government of Nicaragua, led by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, due to its growing alliances with Russia, China and Iran, according to an analysis released Monday by the Centro de Estudios Transdisciplinarios de Centroamérica (Cetcam).
The report states that tensions between Washington and Managua have increased since the beginning of Trump’s second term and could worsen amid the regional political climate, particularly because of developments in Venezuela and Cuba.
Cetcam researchers noted that since the second half of 2025, the U.S. government has intensified criticism of the Sandinista administration, mainly regarding political prisoners, human rights, religious freedom and what it describes as the authoritarian model established by Ortega and Murillo.
“With this background, it is possible to foresee that Washington will maintain pressure, including sanctions, against the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship,” the think tank stated in its report.
The study also warns that one of Washington’s main concerns is the strengthening relationship between Managua and countries considered strategic rivals of the United States, particularly Russia, China and Iran.
Among the developments highlighted is the recent ratification by the Russian Senate of a military cooperation agreement signed with Nicaragua in 2025. The deal is expected to strengthen strategic coordination and Russia’s presence in Central America for an initial five-year period.
According to Cetcam, the move will “hardly go unnoticed” by the United States.
Central America
Guatemala swears in new attorney general after controversial exit of Consuelo Porras
The new Attorney General of Guatemala, Gabriel García Luna, officially took office on Sunday and pledged to restore public confidence in the institution while strengthening efforts against corruption and organized crime.
“Today does not mark the beginning of just another administration. Today marks an opportunity to restore dignity to Guatemala’s criminal justice system,” said García Luna, who was appointed by President Bernardo Arévalo.
García Luna succeeds Consuelo Porras, whose tenure began in 2018 and became highly controversial due to accusations of undermining democratic institutions and obstructing anti-corruption investigations.
Porras was sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, Canada, and the United Kingdom, among others, over allegations related to corruption and interference in judicial processes.
Her administration was also criticized for allegedly attempting to block President Arévalo’s inauguration in 2024 and for pursuing legal actions against former anti-mafia prosecutors, judges, journalists, and Indigenous leaders, many of whom later went into exile.
During his inauguration speech, García Luna acknowledged that many Guatemalans had lost trust in the Attorney General’s Office.
“For years, many Guatemalans lost confidence in the institution, not because they stopped believing in justice, but because justice stopped believing in them. Today begins the duty to restore that trust,” he stated.
The new attorney general also admitted he inherited an institution “with deep wounds.”
The United States has accused Porras of obstructing anti-corruption investigations to protect political allies and secure political favors.
Critics argue that such actions benefited the so-called “pact of the corrupt,” an alleged network of political, economic, and criminal interests believed to exert influence over Guatemala’s justice system.
Opposition leader highlights migration crisis in Panama speech
Ecuador’s Noboa vows to continue “war” on criminal groups
Iran says agreement with U.S. to end Middle East conflict is in final stages
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International2 days agoIran says agreement with U.S. to end Middle East conflict is in final stages
-
International3 days agoWHO Warns Ebola Outbreak Is Spreading Rapidly in DR Congo
-
International3 days agoGuatemalan Man Sentenced to 50 Years in U.S. Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes
-
Central America8 hours agoOpposition leader highlights migration crisis in Panama speech
-
International8 hours agoEcuador’s Noboa vows to continue “war” on criminal groups