Central America

CIDH grants precautionary measures to Guatemala’s presidential binomial-elect

Photo: VOA

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”.

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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.

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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.

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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

Honduras: Zelaya Calls for Mobilization Amid Dispute Over Tegucigalpa Mayoral Race

Manuel Zelaya, general coordinator of Honduras’ ruling Liberty and Refoundation Party (Libre, left-wing), on Saturday called on party supporters to mobilize next Monday in support of Tegucigalpa Mayor Jorge Aldana, who claims he is being defrauded in his bid for re-election.

“If the people do not mobilize because it is Christmas, then Libre party militants, out of conscience, must mobilize this Monday at 4:00 p.m. (22:00 GMT) at the INFOP (National Institute for Professional Training) to support Aldana in a peaceful, non-violent and democratic resistance against what they are already applying as the ‘Trump Algorithm 2025 – Honduras-style elections,’” Zelaya wrote on social media platform X.

Aldana, who considers himself the winner of the capital’s mayoral race following the general elections held on November 30, has been camping for 19 days outside the INFOP facilities, where all election materials are stored under military and police protection. The National Electoral Council (CNE) has already declared Nasry Asfura, of the conservative National Party, president-elect.

According to Aldana, who is seeking re-election under the Libre banner, the tally sheets in his possession confirm his victory. However, National Party mayoral candidate Juan Diego Zelaya is reportedly leading by a margin of around 600 votes.

While acknowledging that the margin is extremely narrow, Aldana is demanding a full review of more than 400 tally sheets, which he believes will ultimately confirm his win.

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On Friday, Aldana told EFE that the protest camp was established “to raise a voice of protest, grounded in truth.” He added, “I am a journalist, and journalism teaches us to report truthfully, to live by the truth and to die for the truth. Here I am with the tally sheets in hand and the 492 inconsistencies identified by the CNE.”

Although uncertainty surrounding the presidential election results has subsided after Asfura—who is backed by U.S. President Donald Trump—was declared president-elect, tensions persist in municipal and legislative races due to inconsistencies in tally sheets across several of Honduras’ 18 departments.

The situation remains highly complex, as the special vote count has been paralyzed for three consecutive days. The process, which began on December 18 with a five-day delay, involves 2,792 tally sheets with reported inconsistencies.

According to CNE council members Ana Paola Hall (president) and Cossette López, representatives of the Liberal and National parties respectively, the paralysis is the result of a political party “boycott” at the Electoral Logistics Center (CLE).

The full CNE board, which also includes Marlon Ochoa of the Libre Party, held meetings on Friday and again on Saturday, virtually, to address delays in the special count of municipal and legislative election results.

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Central America

International leaders congratulate Honduras’ president-elect Asfura

The United States government was among the first to congratulate the president-elect, through Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press briefing that Beijing “is willing to work with Honduras to jointly promote the continued development of bilateral relations.”

The European Union also expressed its commitment and interest in working with Asfura to advance “shared priorities aimed at deepening bilateral ties.”

In addition, the foreign ministries of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay issued messages congratulating the president-elect.

Presidents from Panama and Paraguay, as well as the government of Chile, also extended their congratulations to Asfura. Furthermore, the governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and the Dominican Republic released a joint statement saying: “We reaffirm our solidarity with the Honduran people and express our hope that the transition will take place in a peaceful and orderly manner.”

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Central America

Guatemala arrests 92 salvadoran gang members in 2025

Between January 1 and December 25, 2025, a total of 92 Salvadoran gang members were arrested in Guatemala, according to a report released by that country’s National Civil Police (PNC).

The arrests were carried out as part of border control operations and efforts to combat transnational crime, aimed at preventing members of terrorist criminal structures from entering or remaining in Guatemala after fleeing El Salvador’s state of emergency, which has been in force since March 27, 2022.

The Guatemalan PNC reported that 46 of those detained were expelled and handed over to Salvadoran authorities at the four land border crossings between the two countries.

According to official information, Guatemala’s Interpol National Central Office (NCB) and the Salvadoran National Civil Police maintain close coordination and information-sharing mechanisms to verify the criminal records of gang members.

The 46 individuals expelled to El Salvador were wanted on charges including illicit association, extortion, homicide, drug trafficking, illegal restriction of freedom of movement, and other forms of organized and complex crime.

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Guatemalan police transferred the suspects to their Salvadoran counterparts, who then referred them to the courts seeking their arrest. The most recent detainee was Melvin Antonio Mejía Rivas, alias “Porky,” a member of the 18th Street gang, who was apprehended in Zone 16 of Guatemala City. He has been wanted for illicit association since November 4, 2019.

Another arrest involved Judith Cristina Cáceres de Rivera, originally from Ahuachapán, who was detained in Zone 3 of San José Pinula on extortion charges. Authorities said she demanded 7,000 quetzales per week from a local व्याप merchant.

Guatemalan police also reported that 46 Salvadorans have been arrested in the country for committing various criminal offenses.