Tuesday, July 7, 2026 — Evening Edition

Honduras granted 108 residencies to foreign nationals between January and July 2026, even as asylum requests by foreigners in the country quadrupled over the past year, according to a UNHCR report.

Defensores de Honduras called on the government and Congress to treat the end of TPS for Honduran migrants and a nearly 12% electricity rate hike as national emergencies demanding urgent action.

Sergio Zepeda, an economist at the National Autonomous University of Honduras, says about 90% of the remittances flowing into Honduras go to consumption and only 10% to savings or investment, with most of it spent in the major cities.

The Footwear Industry Association says more than 300 workshops have closed in three years and 2,000 workers have lost their jobs as cheap Chinese imports, rising production costs, and higher fuel and electricity prices erode local manufacturers' competitiveness.

Also reported by: Radio América, Radio América Honduras

Honduras's central bank will overhaul its monetary program after the IMF's successful review of the country's economic plan, which unlocks a disbursement of roughly $240 million and aims to move toward a more flexible exchange market while keeping inflation in check.

Economist Amparo Canales warns that rising electricity rates could set off cascading inflation and drive up the cost of living for Hondurans.

Honduras's electricity regulator, CREE, found billing errors affecting 114 Roatán Electric Company customers on Roatán and José Santos Guardiola islands and has suspended the charges until corrected invoices are issued.

The national traffic authority says it still lacks enough materials to print physical driver's licenses, keeping the service running at reduced capacity until new supplies arrive in August.

President Nasry Asfura met with National Port Enterprise manager Yaudet Burbara, representatives of concessionaire Central American Port Operator, Banco Ficohsa, and a technical committee to review progress on the $624 million investment plan underway at Puerto Cortés.

Honduras's health system reports a surge in venomous snake bites, with Hospital Escuela treating 64 patients this year across eight departments; doctors warn that delaying antivenom treatment can cause permanent organ damage and amputation.

Personnel at the Puerto Cortés Naval Base arranged the emergency transfer of a woman with a high-risk pregnancy from a local hospital to a specialized facility in San Pedro Sula, part of the armed forces' humanitarian assistance program.

Congressman Carlos Umaña warned that the government has failed to honor its agreements with the Medical College of Honduras, risking a new labor dispute as hospitals grapple with shortages, aging infrastructure, and understaffing.

A Health Ministry mobile program called "Healthcare Closer to You" has provided free consultations, lab work, and medicine to more than 6,000 people in rural areas, and Vice Minister José Miguel Castillo says it will expand nationwide and prioritize cancer screening for women.

Parents and teachers blocked roads at three public schools in Tegucigalpa on July 6 to protest the dismissal of security guards, teacher shortages, and deteriorating conditions, and classes were suspended at some sites.

A delegation of Honduran business and government leaders visited Colombia's National Learning Service (SENA) to explore partnerships that would update technical training for young Hondurans and workers to match today's labor-market demands.

Fire department experts have identified more than 200 areas in Tegucigalpa at high risk of landslides and collapses, officials confirmed.

Erick Puerto has traveled with Bate Borisov to Albania for Tuesday's UEFA Conference League first-round qualifier against AF Elbasani, where he could make his debut for the Belarusian club.

Doris Mayell Mendoza, a former vice minister, says she shot a man in Olancho in self-defense after months of threats and attacks that she reported to authorities without getting any protection, and a judge has allowed her to stand trial while free.

Police arrested seven suspects tied to a mass killing in Rigores, Colón, in raids at three locations targeting the Los Canechos gang; one person died in a shootout with officers in Esparta, Atlántida.

Also reported by: TuNota (Canal 5 / TSI)

Experts say about 20% of Honduras's homicides involve attackers on motorcycles, a tactic that lets them kill and flee quickly; a 2012 law barring two men from riding together in certain municipalities remains poorly enforced.

A young motorcyclist died on July 6 after losing control on a curve at kilometer 111 of Honduras's CA-5 highway and colliding with a pickup truck near San Pedro Sula; authorities have not identified the victim.