Central America
CIDH grants precautionary measures to Guatemala’s presidential binomial-elect
August 25|
Following a petition from the presidential couple elected in Guatemala, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued a resolution requesting Guatemala to adopt the necessary measures to protect the life and personal integrity of César Bernardo Arévalo de León and Karin Herrera Aguilar.
“The Commission considers that the information presented shows that Bernardo Arévalo de León and Karin Herrera Aguilar are in a serious and urgent situation, since their rights to life and personal integrity are at risk of irreparable harm,” the statement said.
The IACHR requested the State of Guatemala to agree with both elected candidates on the measures to be adopted and to report on the actions taken, in order to investigate the facts and avoid their repetition.
According to the document, on August 15, the president-elect’s security team received worrying information about a plan to assassinate him “with the participation of state agents and private individuals”.
The information came from at least three sources within state institutions, with a high degree of reliability, which would have warned about the existence of a plan called “Colosio”, which would be implemented to end Arevalo’s life.
However, this would not be the only threat.
On the night of the day of the second electoral round, after knowing the result of the vote, prosecutors from the Public Prosecutor’s Office met privately with the president-elect to inform him that the Prosecutor’s Office against the Crime of Extortion obtained privileged information, related to criminal gang structures, which could put Arévalo’s life and physical integrity at risk, so they proceeded to make the corresponding notification, in order to take the appropriate security measures.
The IACHR report adds that the requesting party, that is, the president-elect’s team, indicated that, despite the significant increase in danger, “the State had not deactivated the risks through an adequate investigation to determine those responsible for the plan, but, on the contrary, had limited itself to indicating that it had not received any complaints”.
In addition, it states that the presidential couple has a limited contingent granted by the Secretariat of Administrative and Security Affairs -SAAS, which is obliged to provide security to the presidential couple, for which reason they have resorted to private security, given the existing distrust with the State entities under the current context.
It is known that the security scheme consists of 20 agents distributed in shifts and not permanently. In addition, it explains that the president-elect uses a borrowed vehicle with a level 3 armor, below what is recommended by security experts for a person in his risky position, which would require a vehicle with level 7 armor.
And in the case of Karin Herrera, her borrowed vehicle also does not meet the necessary security conditions, while the other members of the Seed Movement do not have any security measures in their favor.
In this regard, in an interview to a television media, the president-elect confirmed that they requested the protection of the IACHR due to the “different forms of harassment, illegal tracking, suspicions of assassination and clear indications that there is some intention to attempt against their lives”.
“We have done so because we believe it is necessary to alert and we for our part are taking the necessary measures to increase security levels”, assured Arevalo.
He also confirmed that the government responded immediately to the IACHR’s request and has already met with the Minister of the Interior and the technical teams are developing the security measures that are necessary in this situation.
Meanwhile, he also indicated that, despite the threats, they are continuing with their agenda: “Karin and I are moving forward with our normal, daily work agenda, already in preparation for the government exercise that will be our turn after January 14.”
The government of Guatemala also issued a statement in which it confirms that, after the meeting with the president-elect, security arrangements will be strengthened and the number of elements will be increased according to the IACHR recommendation.
However, it also calls on the international entity to express itself objectively in order to guarantee impartiality, due to the consequences that its statements may generate.
Central America
Bukele says AI partnership with xAI will transform public education in El Salvador
President Nayib Bukele stated on Monday that the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), with the support of Elon Musk’s company xAI, will help redefine the future of public education in El Salvador.
“El Salvador and xAI will redefine the future of public education. Children will not use Grok the same way we use it,” the president wrote on X.
Last week, Bukele and Musk announced a partnership to provide personalized tutoring through the AI assistant Grok for all students enrolled in public schools across the country.
This pioneering alliance between the Government of El Salvador and xAI represents the launch of the world’s first national education program powered by artificial intelligence.
“Grok will be used in all public schools in El Salvador over the next two years. More than one million students will receive personalized tutoring. Thousands of teachers will receive assistance and support as partners in the educational process,” the president explained.
Meanwhile, FMLN Secretary General Manuel Flores described the incorporation of AI into public school education as “reckless,” arguing that many schools still lack basic services such as electricity and internet access.
“Schools do not even have desks. They said: ‘All schools will have internet’; that promise was not fulfilled. And others used to say: ‘The only promises that matter are the ones that are kept,’” Flores said during his regular Monday press conference.
Flores questioned who would teach artificial intelligence classes, noting that in some areas schools lack televisions or electricity. “How are they going to have internet? Starlink [satellite internet service] has already been announced five times,” he added.
He further labeled the AI-driven education program promoted by President Bukele as “another lie,” comparing it to the “Two Schools a Day” initiative, which he claimed is “pure propaganda.”
The “Two Schools a Day” program was announced earlier this year and involves the construction or reconstruction of public schools nationwide to improve educational quality. The project is being implemented by government institutions such as the National Directorate of Municipal Works.
Central America
El Salvador ranks among top countries in the Americas in fight against organized crime
El Salvador has positioned itself as the country in the Americas with the strongest performance in the Global Organized Crime Index (GOCI), ranking 18th out of 35 countries in the region and 77th out of 193 nations worldwide that are engaged in the fight against organized crime.
According to the index, El Salvador outperforms Mexico, which ranks 2nd in the Americas and 3rd globally, as well as the United States, which holds the 14th position in the Americas and 60th worldwide.
The Global Organized Crime Index evaluates multiple indicators, including criminal markets, human trafficking and smuggling, extortion, arms trafficking, counterfeit goods trade, illicit trade in excisable goods, environmental crimes involving flora and fauna, crimes against non-renewable resources, heroin, cocaine, cannabis and synthetic drug trafficking, cyber-dependent crimes, financial crimes, mafia-style groups and criminal networks.
Within Central America, El Salvador surpasses Panama, which ranks 8th in the Americas and 21st globally; Costa Rica, ranked 13th in the region and 58th worldwide; Nicaragua, ranked 16th and 69th; Honduras, positioned 5th in the Americas and 13th globally; and Guatemala, which holds 9th place in the Americas and 25th worldwide.
Belize is the only Central American country ranked above El Salvador, placing 23rd in the Americas and 103rd globally. However, while El Salvador climbed 25 positions compared to its 2023 ranking—improving from 52nd to 77th—Belize dropped three positions, moving from 106th in 2023 to 103rd in the current index.
El Salvador’s progress in combating organized crime also surpasses that of several countries across the Americas, including Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Chile and Paraguay, all of which rank lower both regionally and globally.
Central America
OAS urges swift recount in Honduras as election results remain uncertain
The Organization of American States (OAS) electoral observation mission in Honduras reported findings of a “lack of expertise” and “delays” in the vote-counting process, but stated that it found no indications that would cast doubt on the results of the November 30 general elections, according to a report presented to the organization’s Permanent Council.
The delay by electoral authorities in releasing the final results “is not justifiable,” said former Paraguayan foreign minister Eladio Loizaga while reading the report.
Honduras marked two weeks on Monday without knowing who its next president will be, following elections in which conservative candidate Nasry Asfura, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, holds a lead of less than two percentage points over fellow right-wing contender Salvador Nasralla.
Accusations of fraud have dominated Honduras’ political landscape since polls closed on the last Sunday of November.
In addition to Nasralla’s complaints, the current government led by leftist President Xiomara Castro has described Trump’s support for Asfura as an “electoral coup.”
The U.S. president has warned of “serious consequences” if the current results were to change and strip Asfura, a 67-year-old businessman, of his lead.
Although more than 99 percent of the votes have been counted, nearly 2,800 tally sheets contain “inconsistencies” and must be reviewed through a special recount, the National Electoral Council (CNE) said.
“The Mission urgently calls on the electoral authorities to immediately begin the special recount and to pursue all possible avenues to obtain official results as quickly as possible. The current delay in processing and publishing the results is not justifiable,” the head of the OAS mission told members of the organization.
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