Central America
Final report submitted to Public Prosecutor’s Office to investigate former deputies who diverted funds through front NGOs
September 29 |
The Legislative Assembly informed that this Thursday a final report and a complaint was submitted to the Attorney General, Rodolfo Delgado, to investigate former deputies who illegally diverted public funds to non-profit organizations, associations and foundations through front Non-Governmental Organizations.
Said report was submitted by the lawyers of the Special Commission investigating the destination of funds allocated to NGOs.
“The report we are presenting is the accumulation of an investigation process initiated in the Assembly, which has already concluded. In it, indicative elements have been compiled, such as disbursements to NGOs, without any type of requirement”, explained Mario Machado, lawyer who supported the Commission.
Machado added that these NGOs “did not have balance sheets, up to date credentials or project liquidations and yet they received amounts of money. An analysis was made and it was identified that, from 2011 to 2020, $279 million was diverted to them.”
According to the investigation conducted by the commission, the previous legislatures granted $279 million to 20 organizations between 2011 and 2020, and it was found that part of those resources were allocated to entities with partisan ties. Some of these belonged to Congresswomen Lorena Peña and Milena Calderón de Escalón.
“It is important to highlight that, during the study, organizations were found that have carried out relief actions and others that were definitely founded for quasi-criminal purposes”, Machado added.
Central America
Bukele Announces Education Investment Exceeding 8% of El Salvador’s GDP
El Salvador will increase its annual investment in education to more than $3 billion, equivalent to over 8% of gross domestic product (GDP), President Nayib Bukele announced Sunday.
“We are going to increase investment to more than $3 billion a year, which is three times what previous governments invested, equivalent to more than 8% of GDP,” Bukele said while addressing approximately 30,000 public school students.
The president said the increase would make El Salvador the Latin American country that allocates the largest share of its economy to education. The government’s education budget for this year stands at $1.683 billion.
Bukele made the announcement at the Jorge “Mágico” González National Stadium in San Salvador, where thousands of students gathered for an event focused on educational opportunities.
The president also announced that a university scholarship program will provide financial support to approximately 50,000 students this year. The initiative will receive $100 million in financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through an agreement intended to ensure that the program does not depend solely on a particular government or annual budget.
“These 50,000 scholarships are only for this year; next year there will be more, and more after that, until all Salvadoran young people have the opportunity to study,” Bukele said.
The president did not provide details on the total cost of the scholarship program or specify what portion of the education budget it will represent.
The planned increase would represent a significant expansion from the current education allocation and is part of the government’s strategy to increase access to higher education for young Salvadorans.
Central America
Panama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find
Panama’s exclusive Geisha coffee variety retains the full genetic purity of its Ethiopian ancestors and preserves a distinctive sensory profile, according to two studies presented by the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP).
“Ensuring that the genetics we have in Panama remain 100% pure is vital for the country’s future,” Ricardo Koyner, president of Panama’s specialty coffee association, told EFE.
Panamanian Geisha coffee has gained international fame after breaking price records at global auctions. In the latest auction, a kilogram sold for more than $30,000.
The variety is highly sought after, particularly in Asian markets, for its complex flavor, which differs from traditional strong coffee, as well as its distinctive floral aroma.
Studies confirm genetic purity and unique flavor
A genetic analysis conducted in France found that Geisha coffee trees grown in Panama retain the same genetic lineage as the original plants from Ethiopia. Those plants are preserved at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Costa Rica, through which the coffee variety reached Panama.
“We compared Panama’s Geisha with the original Geisha from CATIE, which is the ancestral reference. The genetics are exactly the same,” explained Christophe Montagnon, director of the study.
According to Montagnon, the findings indicate that Panama has preserved the genetic heritage of the variety over the years.
A second study focused on the sensory characteristics of Panamanian Geisha coffee and identified a distinctive note of white flowers or jasmine, described as particularly sweet and similar to the sensation of drinking jasmine tea.
Fabiana Carvalho, a flavor neuroscientist at the University of Campinas in Brazil, said the characteristic is highly valued in the international specialty coffee market.
“Coffees from Panama that have these sensory markers will be perceived, and already are perceived, as authentic. The final consumer, the coffee drinker, is willing to pay more,” said Carvalho, who led the study aimed at identifying the flavor markers that distinguish Panamanian coffee.
The findings reinforce the reputation of Panama’s Geisha coffee as one of the world’s most distinctive and valuable specialty coffees.
Central America
Honduran Lawyer and Protected Witness in Angie Peña Case Shot Dead
Honduran lawyer and former judicial official Dereck McField was shot and killed on Monday morning, according to local media reports.
The attack took place in the street as McField was returning home after dropping off his young son at school, Honduran outlet HCH reported.
The killing sparked widespread concern after Honduras President Nasry Asfura later confirmed that McField was a protected witness in the case of Angie Peña, a Honduran university student who disappeared on January 1, 2022, while riding a jet ski on an island.
Authorities suspect Peña was trafficked to a criminal network for sexual exploitation. Her jet ski, life jacket and other belongings were found days later on a cay in Belize.
Four men — three Americans and one Honduran — have been charged in connection with the case and remain in pretrial detention as proceedings continue.
At the start of the judicial process in 2024, authorities said they had evidence indicating that Harold Green allegedly sold Peña to William James Murdock for money. Prosecutors said the case included phone records, videos, photographs and witness testimony.
Search operations have been carried out since then in an effort to locate Peña, but she has not been found. Authorities have said they continue to hope that she is alive.
The three U.S. defendants live in Honduras and have tourism-related investments in Roatán.
McField’s killing raises new questions about the safety of witnesses involved in the high-profile case and comes as authorities continue investigating Peña’s disappearance.
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