Central America
Environmentalists advance in closing copper mine in Panama
December 15 |
The formation of a technical committee to supervise the closure of the largest copper mine in Panama is moving forward in that Central American nation, according to the Panamanian Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) last Tuesday.
This technical roundtable, which so far incorporates 101 people from different professional fields, has the purpose of “informing, accompanying, monitoring and being vigilant to the processes of closure of metal mining activity in the country in compliance with the legal provisions”, detailed the IUCN in a statement.
The formation of this oversight group was convened by IUCN last November 22. As it has been adding specialists, working groups were formed on specific topics.
The president of the IUCN, Ricardo Wong, explained during an interview that the technical committee is overseeing “that we have a closure that is as environmentally friendly as possible and that avoids harm to the population”.
He pointed out that the copper mine is currently paralyzed and awaiting a technical plan to deactivate it little by little without causing an environmental disaster.
He stated that closing the mine “is going to be complicated and will take years, effort by many and a lot of money to recover that area”, since now “the metal is exposed and reacts with the water turning it into acid, which if it reaches other areas has great impacts”.
The mine in question is the largest open-pit copper producer in Central America, and one of the largest in the world. It was operated by Minera Panama, a subsidiary of the Canadian company First Quantum Minerals.
It occupies some 13,600 hectares in the middle of the Panamanian forest, within the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, an area of high biodiversity through which species travel from South America to North America. After months of massive protests, the Panamanian people forced its closure.
Central America
Guatemala Police Arrest Prison Guard Caught in the Act of Extortion
Guatemala’s National Civil Police (PNC) arrested a suspected extortionist in the act during an operation carried out in the department of Quiché, authorities reported.
According to the police report, the arrest took place in Zone 1 of Santa Cruz del Quiché after officers responded to a citizen complaint. Agents from Precinct 71 identified the suspect as Encarnación “N”, 41, who was serving as a guard in the Guatemalan Penitentiary System.
The suspect was caught while attempting to collect a package simulating an extortion payment totaling 25,000 quetzales. Police intervened at the precise moment the money was being handed over, allowing authorities to document the crime in flagrante delicto.
Following the operation, the detainee was placed at the disposal of the competent courts to face criminal proceedings.
The PNC emphasized that such operations aim to dismantle criminal structures involved in extortion, regardless of whether those implicated are linked to state institutions, and urged the public to continue reporting these crimes through confidential channels.
Central America
Honduras swears in conservative president Asfura after disputed election
Conservative politician Nasry Asfura assumed the presidency of Honduras on Tuesday with an agenda closely aligned with the United States, a shift that could strain the country’s relationship with China as he seeks to confront the economic and security challenges facing the poorest and most violent nation in Central America.
Asfura’s rise to power, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, marks the end of four years of left-wing rule and secures Trump another regional ally amid the advance of conservative governments in Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina.
The 67-year-old former mayor and construction businessman was sworn in during an austere ceremony at the National Congress, following a tightly contested election marred by opposition allegations of fraud and Trump’s threat to cut U.S. aid if his preferred candidate did not prevail.
Grateful for Washington’s support, Asfura—who is of Palestinian descent—traveled to the United States to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We need to strengthen relations with our most important trading partner,” Asfura said after being declared the winner of the November 30 election by a narrow margin, following a tense vote count that lasted just over three weeks.
Central America
Bukele leads public trust rankings as UCA survey highlights gains in security
Results from the UCA Survey, conducted by the José Simeón Cañas Central American University (UCA), were presented on Tuesday, offering an assessment of the performance of the Government of El Salvador during 2025 and measuring public perception on key issues such as security and the economy.
According to the survey, President Nayib Bukele received an average score of 8.39 for his performance in 2025. In the category measuring levels of trust in national institutions and social actors, Bukele led the ranking with 77% public confidence, surpassing the Central Government (69.6%), the Armed Forces (69.1%), the National Civil Police (PNC), and the Catholic Church (58.4%), among others.
The survey also highlights an upward trend in the president’s evaluation. While Bukele scored 8.15 for his performance in 2024, the most recent assessment of his sixth year in office showed an increase to 8.39.
Meanwhile, the Government of El Salvador as a whole was rated 8.33 for its performance during 2025.
Respondents identified public security as the area showing the greatest progress in the country, with 62.7% recognizing improvements in this sector, according to the UCA survey released on Tuesday.
Eight Killed in Series of Armed Attacks in Ecuador’s Manabí Province
Guatemala Police Arrest Prison Guard Caught in the Act of Extortion
Winter Storm Fern Leaves 30 Dead and Over One Million Without Power Across the U.S.
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America2 days agoGuatemala seizes over a ton of cocaine hidden in flour at Pacific port
-
Central America5 days agoGuatemala’s president rules out negotiations with inmates after prison riots
-
International4 days agoTrump-Era Defense Plan Prioritizes Border Security and Scales Back Global Commitments
-
Internacionales5 days agoMajor winter storm threatens “catastrophic” ice and snow across much of the U.S.
-
International4 days agoBogotá and Quito Seek Dialogue After Tariffs and Power Cut Escalate Tensions
-
International3 days agoDelcy Rodríguez seeks political agreements after Maduro’s ouster
-
International5 days agoGuatemala considers sending high-risk gang members to military prisons
-
International2 days agoHistoric snowstorm paralyzes Toronto after 60 centimeters of snow
-
International2 days agoSpain’s irregular migrant population rises to 840,000, study finds
-
International3 days agoFederal immigration agents kill man in Minneapolis, sparking protests and outrage
-
International5 days agoRights group says over 5,000 killed in Iran protests, mostly civilians
-
Central America1 day agoGuatemala Police Arrest Prison Guard Caught in the Act of Extortion
-
Sin categoría1 day agoEight Killed in Series of Armed Attacks in Ecuador’s Manabí Province
-
International1 day agoWinter Storm Fern Leaves 30 Dead and Over One Million Without Power Across the U.S.
-
Central America1 day agoHonduras swears in conservative president Asfura after disputed election
-
International1 day agoDoomsday clock moves to 85 seconds before midnight amid rising global risks
-
International2 days agoRights group says nearly 6,000 killed in Iran protest crackdown
-
Central America1 day agoBukele leads public trust rankings as UCA survey highlights gains in security
-
International1 day agoSpain approves plan to regularize up to 500,000 migrants in Historic Shift
-
International2 days agoVenezuela frees at least 80 political prisoners, NGO says
-
Sin categoría1 day agoEl Salvador Launches Fourth Year of Ocean Mission to Protect Marine Ecosystems
-
International2 days agoEU launches new probe into X over AI-generated fake nude images
-
International2 days agoSevere winter storm grips U.S., leaves multiple dead as extreme cold persists
-
International2 days agoFrance debates ban on social media for children under 15