National News

The Central Bank of Honduras auctioned $113.1 million in its October 20 currency sale, setting a weighted average exchange rate of L26.8934 per dollar for October 21.

An International Monetary Fund delegation opened the sixth and final review of Honduras's economic program through November 2, assessing the government's compliance with commitments on macroeconomic indicators, public finances, energy-sector losses, and anti-money-laundering reforms.

An International Monetary Fund mission has started the sixth and final review of the economic agreement Honduras signed with the IMF in 2023, ahead of negotiations for a new program.

Congressman Fabricio Sandoval of the Libre party filed a voluntary appearance before the Supreme Court in a judicial proceeding involving former members of Congress's permanent commission.

Honduras's state power utility will forgive 100% of accumulated electricity debt—including penalties and interest—for low-income residential customers with average monthly consumption up to 250 kWh, under Article 20 of the Energy Justice Law approved in August.

The municipal water authority announced which neighborhoods will receive water on a nine-day rotation supplied by the La Concepción reservoir, as storage levels gradually rise.

Three weeks after Honduras's new Energy Justice Law took effect, a monitoring report finds only one of 42 required tasks completed, with losses at the state utility ENEE rising to 34.4% and a critical energy auction delayed to early 2027.

Honduras's Health Ministry trained medical, nursing, pharmacy, and laboratory professionals to identify and act on vaccination opportunities, addressing declining immunization rates driven by vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and falling clinic attendance since 2017.

Congress received the Supreme Court's legal opinion on October 20 on two criminal-code reform packages aimed at strengthening the state's response to crime, with floor debate scheduled to begin on October 27.

Honduras's Constitutional Court admitted an appeal by Óscar Ramírez, accused of killing law student María Fernanda Alemán in February 2025, and ordered his provisional release; a judge will review his detention status on October 22.

Honduras's state electricity utility ENEE has begun forgiving accumulated electric bills, penalties, and interest for low-income residential customers with monthly consumption of 250 kilowatt-hours or less, applying the Energy Justice Law.

Jimmy Josué Gómez Uclés earned Honduras its first medal in six years at the IFMA 2026 Pan-American Muaythai Championship, taking third place in the men's elite 57-kilogram category.

Honduras's National Road Authority (DNVT) is confiscating motorcycles nationwide for violations including expired licenses, missing safety gear, and unsafe conditions, with over 2,300 seized in one week; bikes can be held up to 45 days and fines exceed 600 lempiras (about $24).

Honduras's Medical College continued nationwide informational assemblies on October 21, marking 45 consecutive days of protest over unpaid wages, salary compliance, pending raises, and reinstatement of fired doctors, with the government and Medical College offering conflicting accounts of resolved cases.

Honduras is reactivating an interbank foreign-exchange market that allows commercial banks to trade dollars directly rather than channeling all sales through the central bank, though economists warn it could pressure the exchange rate and international reserves if a few banks dominate or if December import demand spikes.

The Honduran telecommunications commission confirmed a nationwide program to train 60,000 public school teachers in artificial intelligence using Google Gemini, aiming to modernize classroom instruction and personalize student learning.

Economist Rubén Darío Sorto warns that Honduras's diplomatic switch to mainland China has disrupted retail trade, calling the resulting shift in the trade balance with China 'brutal' for the Honduran economy.

The Health Ministry has rolled out a digital vaccination platform that allows citizens to register doses, access digital vaccination cards, and enables real-time monitoring of vaccination coverage nationwide.

Honduran salaried employees can request refunds of excess income tax (ISR) withheld from their paychecks through the tax authority (SAR) by submitting required documents including pay stubs, proof of withholding, and a formal application.

The Public Ministry has submitted a prosecutorial complaint to the Supreme Court against former National Congress president Luis Rolando Redondo and fellow lawmakers over alleged abuses of authority by the now-defunct Permanent Commission during 2022–2026, with a judge set to be assigned to the case.

Honduras's Economic Cabinet opened the sixth and final review of its 2023–2026 IMF agreement with a technical mission through November 2, evaluating compliance with economic targets and structural reforms; approval would unlock $120 million and pave the way for a new 2027–2030 accord.

Honduras's judiciary and the UN human rights office are convening civil-society groups to discuss creating a specialized court to handle land, territory, and environmental disputes affecting indigenous peoples, Afro-Hondurans, and rural communities.

Congress is weighing adoption of El Salvador's harsh detention approach (CECOT), but human-rights groups and legal experts warn the strategy risks prioritizing mass incarceration without addressing root causes of violence or protecting fundamental rights.

Honduras's National Congress has received a proposed law to prevent and punish political violence against women after a 20-year advocacy effort and consultation with 155 stakeholders, including international UN agencies and electoral authorities.

Omega Association, which provides palliative care for terminally ill patients, asked Congress's Finance Committee to maintain state budget support it has received since 2017, citing interruptions in 2020 but resumed funding in 2021.

Congresswoman Sara Zavala proposed legislation to strengthen early detection of breast cancer, guarantee comprehensive patient care including free psychological support and reconstruction, and protect women's employment and social rights after diagnosis.

Congress started reviewing proposed amendments to Honduras's money-laundering law on Monday to align with international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force, tightening rules on asset tracing, seizure, and forfeiture tied to illicit activity.

An ASJ watchdog report warns that energy losses at Honduras's state power company have risen to 34.4%, a major 1,500-megawatt energy tender already delayed to 2027 risks supply shortages, and the three successor companies can absorb only a fifth of a 143.8-billion-lempira debt.

Congress President Tomás Zambrano has not ruled out a popular referendum to let citizens decide whether minors involved in gangs and organized crime should be tried as adults, a proposal drawing debate among legal experts about constitutional limits and international child-protection obligations.

Honduras's Medical College challenged Health Ministry assertions that 96% of public-sector doctors have been paid, questioning the source of the government's figures while many physicians remain unpaid for months.