Central America

El Salvador’s $9.663 billion budget for 2025 focuses on key sectors with no new debt issuance

The Finance and Special Budget Committee of the Legislative Assembly issued a favorable opinion today for the bill containing the 2025 General State Budget, which amounts to $9.663 billion. For the first time, this budget does not involve issuing debt for current expenditure.

The opinion was approved after hearing from officials from various government departments, who explained the allocation of public resources as well as what has been executed in 2024.

The priority areas will continue to be education, health, security, and defense, as they will receive 37% of the total budget, amounting to $3.609 billion. Education will receive $1.535 billion for projects under the “Crecer Juntos” (Grow Together) Law, the “Crecer y Aprender Juntos” (Grow and Learn Together) program, the “Mi Nueva Escuela” (My New School) program, the Digital Gap Reduction initiative, Quality and Coverage Improvement for the “Nacer, Crecer y Aprender” (Be Born, Grow and Learn) program, among others.

Health will receive $1.170 billion to strengthen the “Creciendo Saludables Juntos” (Growing Healthy Together) program and Integrated Health, improve infrastructure and equipment for hospitals and health centers, and other areas. Meanwhile, security and defense will receive $903.4 million.

An allocation of $1.700 billion will go to the Annual Public Investment Program.

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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.