Central America

Guatemala’s TSE announces that it will officialize election results

Photo: @TSEGuatemala

July 11 |

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Guatemala announced Monday that it will release the official results of the general elections held last June 25 once the pending administrative processes are concluded.

In a press conference, the magistrates of the TSE also indicated that all members of the entity are working to carry out smoothly the second round of elections to elect the president of the country, scheduled for next August 20.

“The TSE is interested in the population knowing the results of the voting. The Tribunal will inform of the official results at the conclusion of pending administrative processes”, the electoral body stated in a message published in its Twitter account.

The president of the TSE, Irma Palencia, pointed out that in the press conference that “what was instructed by the Constitutional Court was complied with, the circumstantial reports of the departmental electoral boards were accompanied, where the compliance of the second scrutiny review hearing is stated”.

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This Monday, the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) of the Central American country cleared the way for the officialization of the results of the voting of June 25, after determining that the TSE complied with a second review of the scrutinies.

The CC ordered this second review after accepting some appeals presented by almost a dozen political parties which expressed their distrust in the election results issued in a preliminary manner by the TSE hours after the elections.

This review of the tally sheets was carried out by the departmental electoral boards from July 4 to 6 and in the end there were no significant changes to the preliminary results.

The presidential run-off is scheduled for next August 20 and will be disputed between the candidate of the opposition Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza (UNE), former first lady Sandra Torres, and Bernardo Arévalo De León, of the emerging Movimiento Semilla, who won first and second place, respectively, on June 25.

“The electoral calendar is being respected (…) we are in time to comply with the second round on August 20 (…) we are working hard to have the elections ready (…) we want to give the citizens a message of tranquility”, said Palencia.

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Central America

Panama grants Martinelli 72-hour extension to travel to Nicaragua

On Monday (March 31, 2025), Panama extended the safe-conduct pass for former President Ricardo Martinelli by three more days to allow him to travel to Nicaragua, after the Central American country refused to receive him due to concerns over an alleged Interpol arrest warrant.

“The National Government has decided to extend the validity of the safe-conduct pass for an additional seventy-two (72) hours, until the end of Thursday, April 3, 2025,” the Panamanian Foreign Ministry stated in a communiqué. The original permit was set to expire Monday at midnight (05:00 GMT on Tuesday).

The Foreign Ministry explained that regarding the ‘humanitarian asylum’ granted to Martinelli last Thursday, which was set to expire Monday at midnight, the Nicaraguan government requested clarifications about an apparent Interpol alert, which had already been dismissed as inadmissible.

Additionally, the Panamanian Supreme Court of Justice, as the highest authority of the Judicial Branch, stated on Monday that it had “no objections” to granting asylum and a safe-conduct to Martinelli, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch.

Central America

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary urges Mexico to strengthen Guatemala border

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed on Monday that during last week’s meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, she urged Mexico to reinforce its border with Guatemala and share biometric datawith U.S. authorities.

“I gave her a list of things that President Trump would love to see. And it was exceptional. It was supposed to be a half-hour meeting, but we talked for nearly two hours. It was very productive,” Noem said in an interview with Fox News.

The Homeland Security Secretary requested that Sheinbaum, who has already deployed 10,000 National Guard troopsalong Mexico’s northern border with the U.S., also secure Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala.

Noem added that she also asked the Mexican president to share biometric data with the U.S., to which Sheinbaum responded that she was “willing to discuss it,” although she acknowledged that it could be a controversial issue in her country.

Central America

Panama police clarifies that Interpol alert for Martinelli is still pending

Panama’s National Police clarified on Sunday that an Interpol alert request for former President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) is still under review and has yet to be confirmed. Martinelli was granted a safe-conduct pass last Thursday to leave the Nicaraguan embassy, where he has been seeking asylum since February 2024 after being convicted of corruption.

“The National Police clarifies that there is currently an active process for an Interpol alert, requested by Judge Baloisa Marquínez, against former President Ricardo Martinelli. This request must be analyzed by Interpol’s General Secretariat (headquartered in France) for approval or rejection. If approved, it will be notified to member countries,” the police stated in a press release sent to EFE.

According to the statement, “at the moment, it remains an ongoing procedure, and former President Martinelli does not have a confirmed alert.”

The announcement came hours after National Police Director Jaime Fernández had told the press that an “Interpol alert” for Martinelli had been received on Friday.