Central America

Honduras chairs Coalition of Rainforest Nations

Photo: @condeporhn

September 22 |

The president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, received on Thursday the pro tempore presidency of the Coalition of Rainforest Nations, a position in which the country will manage an amount of 250 million dollars throughout the coming 2024 for the care and development of tropical forests worldwide.

The Central American leader also met with the executive director of the Coalition of Rainforest Nations, Kevin Conrad, with whom she discussed the policies promoted by her government for the protection and revitalization of forests.

Conrad emphasized that, after 18 months at the helm of the Honduran government, President Xiomara Castro has transformed the country from being one of the nations with no results whatsoever to one of the 52 most advanced countries in terms of forest conservation.

In a statement issued by the Honduran government, the head of the Secretariat of Natural Resources and Environment, Luky Medina, informed: “We would like to announce to the nation that President Xiomara Castro has assumed the pro tempore presidency of the Coalition of Rainforest Nations”.

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For his part, Medina pointed out that “the coalition is the institution that mobilizes resources and payments for conservation of sovereign credits for carbon sequestration and has already made the necessary calculations so that the country can access some 250 million dollars starting in 2024”.

According to the Honduran Presidency, the resources that will be accessed will be reinvested in watershed management to ensure the continuity of the environmental protection battalions, avoid deforestation and continue the reforestation process in Honduras, which plans to restore a little more than one million hectares by 2030.

The Coalition of Rainforest Nations (Leaf Colition) brings together a community of 52 countries and has established itself as a block of strength in terms of management and negotiations on climate change, climate action and environmental justice.

Central America

Guatemalan police officer killed in mob riots over baby kidnapping

A police officer was killed during riots provoked by an enraged mob in a Guatemalan town following the kidnapping of a baby, the government reported on Wednesday.

The incidents began on Tuesday night and continued into the early hours of Wednesday in the town of San Vicente Pacaya, about 25 km south of the capital, according to Minister of the Interior Francisco Jiménez.

“There was an incident in San Vicente Pacaya where, unfortunately, a police officer died after being struck in the head with a stone. He passed away this morning,” Jiménez said in a press conference.

He explained that the unrest erupted following the arrest of two suspects in connection with the kidnapping of “a baby just a few months old,” including a woman with a criminal record.

Sports

Venezuela investigates 18 baseball players seeking asylum in Spain

Maduro calls on military to be alert to alleged plan by "fascist groups"

The Venezuelan government announced on Wednesday that it is investigating the case of 18 baseball players who are “under the supervision of Spanish authorities” after seeking protection.

In a statement, Venezuelan authorities said they are working to determine whether this case involves “a possible human trafficking scheme,” though they have not provided any evidence of such a crime.

The Venezuelan government emphasized its commitment to protecting the country’s athletes while also denouncing the use of international legal frameworks by certain governments allegedly seeking to discredit the administration.

CNN reached out to Spain’s National Police for a response to Venezuela’s claims. According to Spanish authorities, the 18 young athletes—including two minors—arrived in Spain to participate in a series of matches but had already planned to apply for asylum. Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that they had begun interviewing the players to process their international protection requests.

The team’s coach addressed the situation in a TikTok video, refuting local media reports that he had abandoned the athletes. He asserted that the players chose to remain in Barcelona to secure the necessary permits to sign with other teams and that their decision was unrelated to any political motivations.

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Sports

Filipe Luis debuts as coach in Copa Libertadores with Flamengo

A two-time Copa Libertadores champion with Flamengo during his playing days, Filipe Luis will make his managerial debut in the tournament this Thursday when the popular Rio de Janeiro club faces Venezuela’s Deportivo Táchira.

Placed in Group C alongside Táchira, Liga de Quito, and Argentina’s Central Córdoba, Flamengo starts as one of the favorites—a major challenge for the 39-year-old former player.

His early coaching career has been off to a strong start.

After retiring in 2023, Filipe Luis took over as Flamengo’s head coach on September 30. Just 41 days later, he won his first title, the Copa do Brasil. The year 2025 has already brought two more trophies: the Supercopa do Brasil, where Flamengo defeated Botafogo—current Libertadores and Brasileirão champions—3-1, and the Campeonato Carioca.

At 8:30 PM local time (00:30 GMT Friday), Flamengo under Filipe Luis will make its international debut at Estadio Pueblo Nuevo in San Cristóbal. Although Gerson, Uruguayan Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and Ecuadorian Gonzalo Plata are unavailable, the squad still boasts attacking firepower with Bruno Henrique and Everton.