Central America
The situation of Guatemalan journalists exiled in the last four years is “very critical”
Journalist and defender of freedom of expression Evelyn Blanck warns that the reporters who have been forced to leave Guatemala are in a “very critical” situation and that there are still no conditions for them to return to the country, despite the positive turn in the press that has been given with the Government of the new President Bernardo Arévalo de León.
Blanck is the coordinator of the Civitas Center, an organization that seeks to ensure the freedom of the press in the Central American country and that has coordinated support for more than twenty journalists who have had to go into exile, after denouncing political persecution against her in the last four years.
“Colleagues in exile are in a critical situation,” the journalist warns in an interview with EFE and assures that among the twenty colleagues who were forced to leave Guatemala in recent years, there are three mothers who are separated from their children and many others who struggle to find conditions to continue practicing journalism.
Several of them “are struggling to survive because they came out with emergency funds, with financing for three months and they never have anything guaranteed,” says this journalist with more than 30 years of experience.
According to an analysis by the social organization Red Rompe El Silencio, 44% of Guatemalan journalists exiled have had to stop exercising their profession and most are refugees in the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and seven other countries.
This crisis of “political persecution” against the press in several Central American countries revealed that there is no comprehensive system of care for journalists who are forced to leave their country, says the activist.
“The only thing we have left is to try to work with the Central American network of journalism solutions so that colleagues have conditions to stay outside because today Guatemalans, Salvadorans and Nicaraguan exiles cannot return,” Blanck concludes.
Journalists Juan Luis Font, director of the radio program Con Criterio and Michelle Mendoza, who was a correspondent for the CNN network in Guatemala, top the list of Guatemalan communicators who have had to go into exile.
In Blanck’s opinion, the Government of the new president of Guatemala exhibits “an institutional discourse that recognizes the work of the press, although its ability to maneuver is very little because the State is still co-opted.”
“Of course there is tension, but it is different from the administrations of Alejandro Giammattei (2020-2024) and Jimmy Morales (2016-2020), where there was an absolute public contempt for the press and that is over,” says the journalist.
According to the Association of Journalists of Guatemala (APG), during the administration of Giammattei there were more than 400 attacks on the press by public officials, and the vast majority of these were dismissed and not investigated by the authorities.
That is why Blanck refers to the Government of Arévalo de León as “a respite that we do not know how long it will last,” and warns that there are no conditions for journalists who left the country under persecution to return while the co-optation of the Judicial Body and the Public Ministry (Public Prosecutor’s Office) persists.
“Doing journalism in Guatemala has always been facing a country of censorship, it is facing power. This is one of the most difficult countries to do quality journalism,” says Blanck.
The Guatemalan Prosecutor’s Office, headed by Consuelo Porras Argueta, has led several cases against communicators in recent years and the most emblematic is that of José Rubén Zamora Marroquín, an internationally recognized journalist who was arrested on July 29, 2022, a few days after launching criticism against the close circle of the then president, Alejandro Giammattei.
Zamora Marroquín, who recently served 600 days in prison, is still waiting for the repetition of the trial against him for an alleged money laundering case and indicated that since the arrival of Arévalo de León to power in January, he has been guaranteed decent conditions in his arrest.
Central America
Ancient Maya Ceremonial Site Reveals New Clues About Preclassic Ritual Practices
An international team of archaeologists has uncovered a unique Maya ritual structure at the pre-Hispanic site of El Tigre, located in Guatemala’s northern department of Petén, offering new insights into ceremonial practices and social organization during the Late Preclassic period (100 B.C. – A.D. 150).
The discovery was announced on Monday by researchers from the Lechugal Norte–El Tigre Archaeological Project, a multidisciplinary initiative involving experts from Guatemala, France, Mexico, and Canada who have been conducting excavations in the area during the 2025 and 2026 field seasons.
“This is a structure with highly distinctive characteristics that allow us to make significant advances in understanding ritual practices at sites of medium-scale monumentality,” said project director Julien Hiquet during a press conference.
The structure, named “Okox” — meaning “mushroom” in the Indigenous Q’eqchi’ language — features a distinctive keyhole-shaped design and stands out for its exceptional state of preservation. Unlike many Maya structures, it was not modified or covered by later construction phases, enabling researchers to study its original architectural features.
According to the archaeological team, El Tigre functioned as a residential and administrative center that supported thousands of inhabitants during the Preclassic era.
Excavations at the site revealed several infant burials strategically placed within the platform’s fill as ritual offerings. Researchers also uncovered the remains of a high-ranking adult male buried in a seated position and accompanied by a stingray spine awl, an object commonly associated with bloodletting and self-sacrifice ceremonies in Maya culture.
Officials highlighted the significance of the discovery for understanding the development of Maya society and religion. Guatemala’s Vice Minister of Cultural and Natural Heritage, Rossina Cazali, described the find as “a window into a pivotal stage” of Maya history.
Archaeologists believe the findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of ceremonial traditions, political organization, and social dynamics in the Maya lowlands during a critical period of cultural development.
International
Mbappé Ties Klose on All-Time World Cup Scoring List After Brace Against Iraq
Kylian Mbappé moved another step closer to World Cup history on Monday, scoring twice against Iraq to reach 16 career goals in the tournament and draw level with German legend Miroslav Klose on the all-time scoring chart.
The French forward found the net in the 14th and 54th minutes of France’s Group I clash in Philadelphia, registering his second consecutive brace of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mbappé’s achievement came on the same day that Argentina captain Lionel Messi set a new all-time World Cup scoring record. The Argentine star scored twice against Austria to raise his career total to 18 goals, surpassing the previous mark of 16 held by Klose.
Klose established his record on July 8, 2014, during Germany’s historic 7-1 victory over Brazil in the World Cup semifinals in Belo Horizonte.
Before facing Iraq, Mbappé was tied with German striker Gerd Müller on 14 World Cup goals. His first goal of the match lifted him to 15, drawing level with Brazilian great Ronaldo Nazário.
The second strike moved the Real Madrid forward to 16 goals, allowing him to surpass Ronaldo, match Klose’s tally, and position himself just two goals behind Messi in the race for World Cup immortality.
The match also marked a personal milestone for Mbappé, as he made his 100th appearance for the French national team.
At 27 years old, the French superstar remains firmly in pursuit of Messi’s newly established record and continues to strengthen his legacy as one of the most prolific scorers in World Cup history.
Central America
Costa Rican President Presents Security Reform Package to Fight Crime and Strengthen Prisons
Costa Rican President Laura Fernández on Monday submitted a package of legislative proposals to the National Assembly aimed at strengthening public security, combating organized crime, and reforming the country’s prison system.
The president said the measures are designed to reinforce the government’s response to rising criminal violence and provide law enforcement authorities with stronger tools to confront growing security challenges.
Among the key initiatives is the proposed “Firm Hand Against Repeat Offenders Law,” which would establish mandatory pretrial detention for suspects accused of repeat criminal offenses, limiting judges’ ability to impose alternative precautionary measures.
The legislative package also includes the “Law to Combat Criminal Organizations,” which would impose prison sentences ranging from one to six years for individuals who participate in criminal groups. Penalties could increase to as much as 20 years for those linked to organizations involved in terrorism, drug trafficking, kidnapping, human trafficking, arms trafficking, or organ trafficking.
Another proposal, known as the “Zero Idleness in Prisons Law,” seeks to expand vocational training and paid work opportunities for inmates. Under the initiative, earnings generated by prisoners would help cover incarceration costs, support their families, and contribute to compensation for crime victims.
Fernández also introduced legislation aimed at expanding legal protections for police officers acting in self-defense and increasing penalties for individuals who assault or resist law enforcement personnel.
“It is now up to you, members of Congress, to make the decisions that our police officers and the families of crime victims have been waiting for,” the president told lawmakers as she urged them to support the reforms.
The president additionally highlighted progress on the construction of the High Containment Center Against Organized Crime (CACCO), a maximum-security prison modeled after the strategy implemented by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
According to Fernández, the project is currently 36 percent complete and forms part of a broader effort to strengthen Costa Rica’s capacity to confront organized crime and improve public safety.
The proposed reforms now move to the Legislative Assembly, where lawmakers will debate the measures and determine whether they will become part of Costa Rica’s legal framework in the coming months.
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International2 hours agoUNHCR Urges U.S. Deportation Agreements to Uphold Asylum Rights and International Law
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International2 hours agoMbappé Ties Klose on All-Time World Cup Scoring List After Brace Against Iraq
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Central America2 hours agoAncient Maya Ceremonial Site Reveals New Clues About Preclassic Ritual Practices