Copy

On today's El Boletin: 

🗞 A Twitter smear campaign against environmental activists from Honduras Guapinol region.

🗞️A marketing company based in the U.S found to be involved in election interference in Honduras.

🗞️FYI: How are ZEDEs operating a year after their repeal? 

🚌 The other side of migration: Title 42 officially ends on May 11

⭐️In other news: Some Salvi Art ❤️ from the Diaspora 

 

'Fake environmentalist': smear campaign against Honduras' Guapinol defenders

A day after two well-known environmentalists from Honduras’ Guapinol region were murdered, a Twitter smear campaign dating back to 2021 intensified once again. The campaign accuses members of an environmentalist group that opposes the mine development that operates in the Guapinol region of being ‘fake environmentalists’ and taking part in the murders of 10 people in the thick of the conflict.

Read more here 🌎

This translation was completed in collaboration with the Latin American Bureau as part of their Environmental Defenders Series

A marketing company based in Miami was involved in election interference in Honduras.

In an investigation done by Reuters, journalists found links between a Miami-based digital marketing agency called Predictiva. The company was involved in multiple smear and influence campaigns in Latin America. 

In Honduras, it managed a network of fake accounts that criticized the President of the National Congress, Luis Redondo.

According to Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp), this agency made fake accounts posing as journalists and media outlets. The investigation does not accredit for whom Predictivia worked to generate these campaigns. However, an investigation found that during the presidential elections, the two opposition candidates, Xiomara Castro and Yani Rosenthal were targeted by several fake Twitter accounts. 

The company was also found to be involved in smear campaigns in Guatemalan elections.

Read Reuters' investigation here 🌎

FYI: Honduras' Special Employment and Economic Development Zones 

What are ZEDEs and how are they operating a year after their repeal?

ZEDE stands for Employment and Economic Development Zone. These special legal zones were introduced by the Juan Orlando Hernandez administration and passed by the National Congress in an effort to promote foreign investment. 

The legislation provided these zones with independent administrative and legal rights that allowed companies to operate in Honduras on their own terms. Last year the Xiomara Castro Administration issued an executive order outlawing ZEDEs 

One year after its repeal, three ZEDEs continue to operate in Honduras in a kind of legal limbo.

Próspera, in Roatán, sued the State of Honduras before an international body for billions of dollars in damages to investments.

In Choloma, Ciudad Morazán is made up of residential areas and a warehouse that was to serve as industrial headquarters and is now in disuse.

This ZEDE tried to join the Free Zone regime (ZOLI), but if the new Tax Justice Law is approved, which contemplates the elimination of 10 special regimes, the proposal would be null and void.

ZEDE Orquídea is an agro-park in the department of Choluteca with 170 hectares of greenhouses where colored chili peppers are grown for export to the US.

Orquídea also tried to join the ZOLI regime, but this did not materialize, which has placed this ZEDE in a similar position to Ciudad Morazán

Read more about the ZEDEs here 🌎

The Other Side Of Migration

🚌 After months of uncertainty and speculation, Title 42 is finally ending next week on May 11. Cities in Texas are preparing for the change in policy and the expected surge of migrants. Community centers and migrant advocates are ready to continue supporting asylum seekers, while government officials have issued emergency declarations and are setting up shelters.

🚌 As a response to the change in policy the federal government has sent additional funding to border cities and expanded personnel. According to Reuters, about 500 U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services personnel will be assigned to interview migrants. The Pentagon is also sending 1,500 troops to support the Border Patrol.

🚌 A Honduran migrant family was shot to death by a neighbor in Cleveland, Texas. According to authorities, the shooting began after one of the family members asked their neighbor to stop shooting in the backyard. This led the man to enter the house and kill 5 family members, three of them were females and two males, including a 8-year-old boy. The women were found on top of the surviving children.

Central America News Roundup 🌎

🇬🇹Guatemala- Last week, the trial of journalist Jose Ruben Zamora, former president of El Periodico, began after months of preparation. Zamora is being accused of money laundering and the charges emerged following an investigation on top officials done by El Periodico. The Association of Guatemala Journalists (APG) stated that the threats to journalists continue to increase in the country. 

🇸🇻El Salvador- The Salvadoran government passed a tax cut that exempts tech companies such as AI development companies from paying income tax, capital gains and local government taxes, and other tariff payments.  

🇳🇮Nicaragua - The Nicaraguan government announced a trade agreement with China that would allow the country to export its main products and import products from China. The government explained that the agreement is a preamble to future free trading agreements between the two nations. 

🇧🇿Belize- Last month on April 25, 31 students between the ages of 4 to 15 were hospitalized after consuming candies laced with Marijuana. After an investigation, Belizean authorities have charged the country’s police department's national exhibit keeper. Authorities claim that the candies made their way to the streets after the exhibit keeper did not properly dispose of the laced candy from the Police Department evidence room. 

🇨🇷Costa Rica- Costa Rica’s Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture recently authorized the exploitation of several specials due to their “aquaculture interest”. This decision will directly impact corals, turtles, and wild iguanas. 

🇵🇦Panama- Panamanian authorities arrested four suspects for the production of clandestine drugs. The arrest happened after police officers raided a suspected clandestine drug laboratory in Panama City.

Photo: Simone Dalmasso PlazaPublica | Jose Ruben Zamora in stairs of the courthouse waiting for the session to start. 

On other news 

Salvi Art ⭐️ from the Diaspora 

 
Check out these two artists for authentic Salvadorean art from the diaspora! 

Dichos de un Bicho! 

Check out @DichosdeunBicho to get a satirical and artistic outlook on El Salvador and the Central American experience. 


꧁Chukulatzin꧂

 
Check out @theonlybaggio to see Salvadorean-inspired Pokemons! 
 

Message from the editor!

Thank you for tuning in and see you all next time! Don't forget to share the newsletter and support independent journalism!! 

Saludos ,

Jorge Paz Reyes 

English Content Editor

Share Share
Tweet Tweet
Forward Forward

✍️Stay in touch!✍️

Follow us on Twitter or Facebook!

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Website
Email
YouTube
www.contracorriente.red
Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp






This email was sent to <<Correo electrónico/Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Producciones Red Comunica, Investiga y Conecta S. de R. L. De C. V. · Bosques de Jucutuma, Bloque A, Calle 2, San Pedro Sula, Cortés · San Pedro Sula, Cortes 21102 · Honduras

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp