Central America

Bukele and Argentine Minister Bullrich exchange their experiences on security

President Nayib Bukele received the Minister of Security of Argentina, Patricia Bullrich, in San Salvador, on Tuesday in a private meeting in which they exchanged their experiences on security and the fight against drug trafficking.

The Presidential House of El Salvador reported in an X message about the meeting that is part of a tour of the Central American country of the Argentine minister to “know the security methods” implemented by the Government of Bukele.

He added, without providing details, that “cooperation on security issues is getting closer and closer and we are sure that it will contribute to the well-being of both nations.”

For its part, the Ministry of Security of Argentina also indicated in X that Bullrich shared with the Salvadoran president about “the management that is being carried out in the fight against mafias and drug trafficking.”

In addition, he pointed out that the minister learned more about “the successful Salvadoran model” in reference to an emergency regime implemented to fight gangs.

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He added that Bullrich also met with the vice president of El Salvador, Félix Ulloa, and thanked him for his collaboration in the visit made by the South American entourage.

In two days of visit to El Salvador, Bullrich visited the megaprison of the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (Cecot), met with the heads of the Police and the Attorney General’s Office.

Bullrich, the former electoral rival of the Argentine president, Javier Milei, congratulated Bukele on Tuesday through a video for “resturing peace and tranquility” to his country.

The administration of Milei and Bukele are close after the Argentine president assumed his position as president.

Milei was in El Salvador on June 1 in the context of Bukele’s inauguration for a second consecutive term despite being prohibited in the Constitution.

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The security policy of the Bukele Government, which has broad popular support, has focused since 2022 on the suspension of constitutional guarantees and mass arrests of alleged gang members through an emergency regime.

This measure was approved by the Legislative Assembly at the request of the Executive in March 2022 after an escalation of murders that claimed the lives of more than 80 people in three days attributed to the gangs, but that journalistic investigations of the media El Faro indicate that it took place after the rupture of a pact between these gangs and the Government.

In fact, the United States Government has sanctioned officials of the Bukele Executive on accusations of coordinating meetings with gang members.

The aforementioned regime has left more than 80,000 arrests and more than 6,000 allegations of human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and torture.

Humanitarian organizations have also reported more than 300 deaths of detainees, most of them with signs of violence.

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Central America

Panama grants Martinelli 72-hour extension to travel to Nicaragua

On Monday (March 31, 2025), Panama extended the safe-conduct pass for former President Ricardo Martinelli by three more days to allow him to travel to Nicaragua, after the Central American country refused to receive him due to concerns over an alleged Interpol arrest warrant.

“The National Government has decided to extend the validity of the safe-conduct pass for an additional seventy-two (72) hours, until the end of Thursday, April 3, 2025,” the Panamanian Foreign Ministry stated in a communiqué. The original permit was set to expire Monday at midnight (05:00 GMT on Tuesday).

The Foreign Ministry explained that regarding the ‘humanitarian asylum’ granted to Martinelli last Thursday, which was set to expire Monday at midnight, the Nicaraguan government requested clarifications about an apparent Interpol alert, which had already been dismissed as inadmissible.

Additionally, the Panamanian Supreme Court of Justice, as the highest authority of the Judicial Branch, stated on Monday that it had “no objections” to granting asylum and a safe-conduct to Martinelli, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch.

Central America

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary urges Mexico to strengthen Guatemala border

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed on Monday that during last week’s meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, she urged Mexico to reinforce its border with Guatemala and share biometric datawith U.S. authorities.

“I gave her a list of things that President Trump would love to see. And it was exceptional. It was supposed to be a half-hour meeting, but we talked for nearly two hours. It was very productive,” Noem said in an interview with Fox News.

The Homeland Security Secretary requested that Sheinbaum, who has already deployed 10,000 National Guard troopsalong Mexico’s northern border with the U.S., also secure Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala.

Noem added that she also asked the Mexican president to share biometric data with the U.S., to which Sheinbaum responded that she was “willing to discuss it,” although she acknowledged that it could be a controversial issue in her country.

Central America

Panama police clarifies that Interpol alert for Martinelli is still pending

Panama’s National Police clarified on Sunday that an Interpol alert request for former President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) is still under review and has yet to be confirmed. Martinelli was granted a safe-conduct pass last Thursday to leave the Nicaraguan embassy, where he has been seeking asylum since February 2024 after being convicted of corruption.

“The National Police clarifies that there is currently an active process for an Interpol alert, requested by Judge Baloisa Marquínez, against former President Ricardo Martinelli. This request must be analyzed by Interpol’s General Secretariat (headquartered in France) for approval or rejection. If approved, it will be notified to member countries,” the police stated in a press release sent to EFE.

According to the statement, “at the moment, it remains an ongoing procedure, and former President Martinelli does not have a confirmed alert.”

The announcement came hours after National Police Director Jaime Fernández had told the press that an “Interpol alert” for Martinelli had been received on Friday.