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
Violent Killings of Women in Honduras Remain High During First Half of 2026
Violent deaths of women remain a major concern in Honduras, according to preliminary data released by the Violence Observatory of the National Autonomous University of Honduras.
Between January and June 2026, the country recorded 139 violent deaths of women, one more than the 138 reported during the same period in 2025.
The Observatory’s director, Migdonia Ayestas, said that although the increase is minimal, the figures confirm that violence against women remains a persistent problem.
“Violence against women is a serious issue. The ways in which they are being killed have become increasingly brutal and inhumane,” Ayestas said.
She explained that documented cases include dismemberment, beheadings, sexual assaults, and bodies abandoned in public places, acts that she said reflect the violence carried out by criminal organizations.
Ayestas stressed that the analysis should go beyond the number of victims and focus on the effectiveness of the justice system.
“We should not only count how many women are killed, but also how many cases are investigated, how many arrests are made, and how many reach the courts,” she said.
According to the Observatory, more than 8,000 women have died violent deaths in Honduras since 2005, leaving thousands of children orphaned.
Ayestas also called for stronger prevention efforts, improved education, and more effective criminal investigations to address the crisis. She argued that the current state of emergency alone has not been sufficient to dismantle criminal organizations or significantly reduce violence, emphasizing the need for comprehensive strategies to prevent these crimes and combat impunity.
The first-half figures for 2026 underscore that violence against women remains one of Honduras’ most pressing security and human rights challenges.
Sports
France edge Paraguay 1–0 as Mbappé penalty sends Les Bleus into World Cup quarterfinals
France secured a narrow 1–0 victory over Paraguay to advance to the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026, thanks to a second-half penalty converted by Kylian Mbappé.
The match, played at the Lincoln Financial Field, was heavily affected by extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 37°C and a heat index of 40°C, forcing players and fans to remain constantly hydrated and contributing to a slower-paced encounter.
France dominated possession throughout the first half, holding 76% of the ball and registering six shots on target without managing to convert. Paraguay, meanwhile, maintained a compact defensive structure, often dropping as many as eight players behind the ball and relying on counterattacks.
Despite their control, the French side struggled to create clear chances, a situation that visibly frustrated coach Didier Deschamps. His team returned from halftime with the same approach, eventually forcing a save from Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill after a shot from Manu Koné in the 55th minute.
The breakthrough arrived in the 70th minute when the referee, after a VAR review, awarded a penalty following a foul by Diego Gómez on Désiré Doué inside the box. Mbappé converted from the spot to give France the lead.
After the goal, France managed the game more calmly, while Paraguay pushed forward in search of an equalizer, opening up their defensive shape.
With his goal, Mbappé reached seven goals in the tournament, level with Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the scoring charts, and moved within one goal of the all-time World Cup scoring record.
Central America
El Salvador and Chile Mark 150 Years of Relations With Expanded Bilateral Cooperation
El Salvador and Chile are strengthening their diplomatic and cooperation ties through the official visit of Salvadoran Deputy Foreign Minister Adriana Mira to the South American country.
The purpose of the visit is to expand economic exchanges, promote new cooperation opportunities, and strengthen the bonds of friendship between both nations, according to El Salvador’s Foreign Ministry.
During her visit, Mira held a meeting with her Chilean counterpart, Patricio Torres, where they discussed issues of common interest and actions aimed at further advancing bilateral relations.
The agenda included initiatives to promote trade, encourage investment in strategic sectors, and strengthen joint efforts in different areas of cooperation.
As part of this process, both countries are preparing the 5th Meeting of the Joint Commission for Technical and Scientific Cooperation, where they are expected to establish a new framework for bilateral collaboration aimed at creating mutual benefits.
The meeting also carried a historic significance, as El Salvador and Chile are commemorating 150 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.
Representatives from both governments highlighted the importance of continuing to deepen their ties of friendship and cooperation to support shared development goals.
El Salvador’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that the relationship between both countries seeks to advance greater economic, commercial, and technical integration while taking advantage of new opportunities for collaboration.
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