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
Bukele urges Costa Rica to reform prison system amid rising crime rates
El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele, recommended that Costa Rica toughen its prison system, describing it as too “permissive” after visiting a Costa Rican prison with his counterpart, Rodrigo Chaves, on Tuesday at the end of an official visit.
“We believe the prison system should be less permissive, focusing more on the rights of those outside and a country’s right to security,” Bukele said after touring the La Reforma prison, located 23 km east of San José.
During Bukele’s visit to Costa Rica, the two presidents discussed different security approaches and strategies to combat organized crime. They also signed memorandums of understanding on tourism, trade, and bilateral relations.
Bukele noted the contrasts between Costa Rica’s prison system and that of El Salvador, which he reformed as part of his “war” against gangs launched in March 2022 under a state of emergency allowing arrests without warrants.
The Salvadoran president pointed out Costa Rica’s high cost per inmate, which he estimated at around $1,200 per month.
“They are spending nearly two minimum wages per inmate. It’s an injustice,” Bukele stated, adding that Costa Rica’s penal system “needs reform.”
Regarding inmate rights, Bukele suggested limiting intimate visits and TV access to prevent prisons from becoming “headquarters for crime.”
“We hope you take the necessary measures,” Bukele said about the increase in crime in Costa Rica, which has seen 757 homicides in 2024, mostly related to drug trafficking.
Central America
El Salvador delivers aid to Costa Rica amid severe flooding and red alerts
Costa Rica raised alert levels on Tuesday due to ongoing heavy rains that are expected to continue throughout the week. So far, flooding has forced 1,369 people into shelters, and the country is receiving humanitarian aid from El Salvador in response to the emergency.
The National Emergency Commission (CNE) declared a red alert (the highest level) for the provinces of Guanacaste and Puntarenas along the Pacific coast, and an orange alert (high level) for the rest of the country, except for Limón province (Caribbean), which is under a yellow alert (intermediate level).
The CNE reported that the rainy pattern is expected to persist throughout the week. The National Meteorological Institute (IMN) is also monitoring tropical wave number 46, which has a high potential to develop into a tropical cyclone over the Caribbean Sea in the next seven days.
“Rainfall is expected to continue over the coming days, especially along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Additionally, there is a high saturation of soil across much of the country, creating significant vulnerability to incidents like flooding and landslides,” explained the CNE.
El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele, who is wrapping up a two-day visit to Costa Rica on Tuesday, announced on Monday the dispatch of a plane carrying humanitarian aid. Originally, the aid was intended for flood victims in Valencia, Spain, affected by a recent storm.
Bukele explained on Tuesday that Spain is currently not accepting international aid, so he decided to redirect the shipment to Costa Rica, splitting it across three smaller planes, with an additional 20 trucks carrying 400 tons of aid set to arrive in the coming days.
On Tuesday, planes carrying humanitarian aid arrived in Costa Rica, as confirmed by both governments.
“We have sent aid missions to Turkey, and we intended to send one to Spain, but the government there did not accept international assistance—not just from us, but from anyone. We were surprised at how swiftly the Costa Rican government acted,” Bukele stated on Tuesday.
Central America
Nicaraguan Naval Force seizes cocaine on Pacific Coast, suspects escape
The Nicaraguan Army’s Naval Force reported on Tuesday the seizure of two bundles containing 80 packages of cocaine along the Pacific coast, although none of the four suspects were apprehended.
The illicit substance was seized near the Quizalá beach, in the municipality of San Rafael del Sur, Managua department. According to the military report, the four suspects “fled, leaving the drugs behind” after “detecting the presence of Army troops.”
The two “red bundles (…) contained 80 rectangular packages of cocaine,” the Nicaraguan Army stated.
The operation was conducted by the First Naval Troop Battalion “Commander Richard Lugo Kautz,” part of the Naval Force.
Authorities did not provide details on the individuals connected to the drug haul or the weight of the cocaine seized. They confirmed that the drugs were handed over to the relevant authorities for legal proceedings.
Nicaraguan authorities emphasize that they are implementing a strategy called the ‘Containment Wall,’ aimed at preventing the movement of drugs or drug-related money into populated areas. They maintain “close cooperation” with regional countries as well as the United States, Mexico, and Russia.
Nicaragua is located along a major drug trafficking corridor from South America to North America, where Mexican cartels operate, and the primary consumers are located.
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