El Salvador

A U.S. Fourth Circuit panel denied legal immunity to former Salvadoran colonel Mario Reyes Mena for allegedly ordering the 1982 extrajudicial killings of four Dutch journalists. The court ruled that acts violating international norms like summary executions cannot claim foreign official immunity, advancing a case under the Torture Victims Protection Act brought by the brother of one victim.

El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras received $15.85 billion in remittances from January to April 2026, a 10.7% increase from the previous year. Guatemala received $8.43 billion, Honduras $4.13 billion, and El Salvador $3.29 billion, with Honduras showing the fastest growth at 14.3%.

Hernan Gil, a 43-year-old security guard, was rescued after nearly eight days trapped beneath rubble in Venezuela following one of Latin America's worst earthquakes. The operation involved rescuers from seven countries and marked a rare success in a disaster that killed nearly 2,300 people and left tens of thousands missing.

The family of a Yosemite visitor who died after falling over a waterfall is working to repatriate his body to El Salvador for a dignified burial with loved ones. The deceased is described as being laid to rest with dignity surrounded by those who remember him with love.

The family of Josue Alfaro, a 22-year-old man who died in Yosemite National Park, is using a GoFundMe to bring his body to El Salvador. He was killed in the Merced River on June 20.

Keiko Fujimori's victory in Peru's presidential runoff prompted regional congratulations, with leaders framing the result as part of a broader shift to the right in Latin America. Fujimori's potential leadership would join right-wing governments in Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, El Salvador, and Colombia.

Mexican Red Cross rescue dogs have been deployed to Venezuela to assist in search and rescue operations following two major earthquakes that caused over 1,400 deaths and 3,200 injuries. The dogs, part of a USAR team, join efforts with 250 Mexican troops and international teams from Colombia, Argentina, and El Salvador.

At least 1,450 deaths have been reported, with rescue teams from El Salvador, Venezuela, and Mexico working to save Aaron Levi Cantillo Vargas, 21, trapped in Caraballeda, La Guaira state. The death toll is expected to rise as search efforts continue.

ATF canceled its contract for the Webloc surveillance tool after lawmakers and legal figures raised concerns about its use of commercial location data in criminal investigations. The tool, used by agencies like the U.S. military and ICE, bypasses warrant requirements, prompting legal debates over constitutional rights.

Venezuela experienced rare back-to-back deadly earthquakes, killing and injuring hundreds. The article lists several of the deadliest earthquakes in Latin America over the past century, including events in Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and others, with death tolls ranging from hundreds to over 66,000.

Venezuela experienced two deadly earthquakes, resulting in hundreds of casualties. The article lists some of the most significant and deadly earthquakes in Latin America over the past century, including events in Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and other countries with varying death tolls.

Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes, causing at least 32 deaths and hundreds injured. International leaders and countries including Pakistan, the US, Mexico, and El Salvador expressed solidarity and offered aid.

The Trump administration plans to appeal a federal judge's dismissal of human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in 2025 and later returned to the U.S. The judge ruled the charges were retaliatory after Abrego challenged his deportation, calling the prosecution 'vindictive and selective.' Abrego faces a separate deportation case in Maryland.

The U.S. Department of Justice will appeal a judge’s dismissal of human trafficking charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March 2025 and later returned to the U.S. The judge ruled the charges were brought 'selectively and vindictively,' and the government now seeks to deport him again, potentially to Liberia.

An appeals court will hear arguments over a judge’s attempt to hold the Trump administration in contempt for the deportation of Venezuelans to an El Salvador prison last year.

Colombia’s voters elected right-wing businessman Abelardo de la Espriella, endorsed by Donald Trump, in a presidential runoff, ending left-wing rule. De la Espriella proposed bombing gang-held areas and building El Salvador-style megaprisons, while his opponent, senator Iván Cepeda, supported continuing peace negotiations. Latin America has seen a rightward shift as governments address violence linked to cocaine production, with Mexico under Washington pressure adopting military tactics against cartels.

Colombia's presidential runoff features Abelardo de la Espriella, a far-right candidate, against Iván Cepeda, a leftist senator. De la Espriella leads polls with a focus on security and anti-gender ideology, reflecting a broader far-right trend in the Americas. Public sentiment is divided, with concerns over his hard-line policies.

Crime surges in some Latin American countries are fueling a far-right political backlash, with conservative populists leveraging tough-on-crime rhetoric to gain support. Leaders like El Salvador's Nayib Bukele and Peru's Keiko Fujimori are promoting security-focused policies, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, amid rising concerns about extortion and gang violence in nations such as Colombia, Peru, and Honduras.

Ecuador’s president adopted El Salvador’s hard-line strategy against gangs, including deploying the army and building mega-jails, but the approach has failed with rising killings and prison massacres. The article attributes the failure to Ecuador’s gangs being drug-trafficking networks, unlike El Salvador’s gang structure.

El Salvador's prosecutors are moving to try 563 leaders of the Barrio 18 gang in a single case, accusing them of 14,400 crimes over more than a decade. The accused belong to the gang's rival factions, Sureños and Revolucionarios.

El Salvador's Decree 531 reduces the physical presence requirement for residency to 90 days per year, positioning it as a competitive tax haven with 0% tax on foreign income and Bitcoin gains. The country's territorial tax system and corporate incentives aim to attract entrepreneurs, investors, and remote professionals.

El Salvador, the first country to grant bitcoin legal tender status in 2021, continues accumulating BTC, holding 7,677 BTC worth $480 million as of 2026. Despite removing bitcoin’s mandatory legal tender status in 2025 to secure an IMF loan, the government has not sold any coins and remains committed to bitcoin and AI development.

Tropical Storm Cristina formed in the Pacific Ocean off Nicaragua's coast with 45 mph winds, expected to bring 4-12 inches of rain to Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. It is the second Eastern Pacific storm following Tropical Storm Boris near Mexico.

Mexican authorities captured an alleged high-ranking MS-13 leader in Tapachula, Chiapas, near the Guatemala border. The individual, a Salvadoran wanted by El Salvador, was taken in a high-profile operation targeting the transnational gang.

Mark, a 17-year-old Maryland high school senior, graduated without his father, who was deported to El Salvador by ICE. His father watched the graduation via livestream, as he had been arrested and deported in early 2024.

Patty Morin, mother of Rachel Morin, shared how a detective's advice to 'have hope' helped her during her daughter's eight-month murder investigation, which led to the arrest of Victor Martinez-Hernandez. She now offers similar encouragement to the family of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, whose abduction remains unsolved, as investigators work on DNA samples with potential delays.

Abelardo de la Espriella, a far-right defense attorney and businessman, led the first round of Colombia’s presidential election, supported by U.S. President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. He pledged to combat armed groups in Colombia’s rural areas.

Colombia's first-round presidential election saw conservative candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, known as 'The Tiger,' secure a surprise victory, positioning him for a June 21 runoff against leftist Ivan Cepeda. De la Espriella's campaign focuses on a hardline approach to criminal organizations and security, contrasting with President Gustavo Petro's 'Total Peace' policy. Analysts link his success to a regional shift in Latin America against leftist governments.

Abelardo de la Espriella, a pro-Trump lawyer, led Colombia's presidential first-round election with 44% of the vote, surpassing Senator Iván Cepeda, who received 41%. De la Espriella, promising a harsh anti-crime strategy inspired by El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele, will face Cepeda in a June 21 runoff.

Aberaldo de la Espriella, a pro-Trump lawyer, led Colombia's presidential first round with 44% of the vote, surpassing progressive candidate Iván Cepeda. De la Espriella, known as 'El Tigre,' promised a crime crackdown modeled after El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele. A runoff is scheduled for June 21.

Pro-Trump candidate Aberaldo de la Espriella leads Colombia's presidential race with 44% of the vote, surpassing progressive senator Iván Cepeda (41%). De la Espriella, who promises a crackdown on crime modeled after El Salvador's Bukele, faces Cepeda in a June 21 runoff. Experts doubt his strategy can replicate Bukele's success due to Colombia's size and complexity.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia seeks to prevent deportation to Liberia after criminal charges against him were dismissed. He requests removal to Costa Rica, where he can receive refugee status, and alleges the Trump administration is punishing him for challenging prior deportations.

CBS News fired '60 Minutes' correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, along with executive producer Tanya Simon, amid editorial disputes and contract negotiations. Alfonsi criticized CBS leadership for delaying her segment on El Salvador's CECOT prison, claiming political bias, while new executive producer Nick Bilton, lacking linear TV experience, replaces Simon.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident, seeks to prevent deportation to Liberia after criminal charges against him were dismissed. He argues the Trump administration failed to ensure his safety if removed and requests relocation to Costa Rica, where he would have protections.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident, seeks to prevent his deportation to Liberia after criminal charges against him were dismissed. He requests removal only to Costa Rica, where he can receive refugee status, following previous wrongful deportation to El Salvador and legal challenges against the Trump administration's deportation efforts.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident, seeks to block deportation to Liberia after criminal charges against him were dismissed. He argues the Trump administration failed to ensure his safe removal and has agreed to relocate to Costa Rica, which offers him refugee protections.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose criminal charges were dismissed, seeks to block deportation to Liberia and instead be sent to Costa Rica, which has agreed to grant him refugee status. The Trump administration attempted to deport him to Liberia, Eswatini, and Uganda after he rejected a plea deal tied to dismissed human smuggling charges.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia seeks to prevent deportation to Liberia after criminal charges were dismissed, requesting removal to Costa Rica instead. The Trump administration attempted to deport him to multiple countries, but a federal judge dismissed the charges as vindictive.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident, seeks to prevent deportation to Liberia after criminal charges against him were dismissed. He requests removal to Costa Rica, where he can receive refugee status, as the Trump administration attempts to deport him despite court rulings against unlawful removal.

Sonoma County detectives solved a 1983 cold case involving the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of Robert Pangborn in Guerneville. DNA evidence collected at the scene linked Oscar Chotos Bolanos, who was convicted in 1992 for a sexual assault in Los Angeles, to the crime. Bolanos was deported to El Salvador in 1994 and died of cancer last month.