Tuesday, July 14, 2026

The Central Bank of Honduras auctioned $85 million in foreign currency on July 13, setting the weighted-average exchange rate at L26.7565 per dollar for July 14.

Honduras has spent just L15.8 billion (about $635 million) of its L46.8 billion public investment budget in the first seven months of 2026, with roads leading at 54.9% while energy, transport, health, and education lag well below 20%.

The Central Bank's economic analysis team expects the Honduran economy to grow 3.6% in 2026 and 3.8% in 2027, within the range set by the 2026–2027 monetary program.

Economic analyst Nancy Ochoa projects the lempira will lose 2.7% of its value over the full year in 2026 if current trends hold.

Gasoline and diesel prices have dropped for seven straight weeks in Honduras, yet the basic food basket and public transport fares keep climbing, with analysts noting that oil-price increases pass through quickly while decreases do not.

The head of Honduras's business association warns that state power utility ENEE carries 122 billion lempiras ($4.9 billion) in liabilities against 54 billion in assets and risks a return to costly diesel generation unless Congress passes new energy legislation and opens competitive bidding within months.

After three years of metal license-plate shortages, the government has signed a contract with the German consortium Tönnjes to supply smart vehicle plates, aiming to clear a backlog of applications and bolster national security.

Tegucigalpa's city government has reclaimed about 11 public spaces—among them the Cerrito de la Felicidad and the Isy Obed Murillo plaza—that had been abandoned and used for illegal dumping, adding lighting and police patrols while urging residents to keep the areas clean.

The unfinished Papa Francisco overpass in Tegucigalpa, left incomplete by the previous administration, has cracked walls that expose deteriorated durapack (expansion-joint material) mixed into the concrete, raising concerns about its durability.

Tegucigalpa's mayor warned that a permanent solution to the capital's water shortage will not come before 2028, pointing to a prolonged crisis in the city's water supply.

Also reported by: Radio Cadena Voces (X)

Honduras recorded 20 traffic deaths and 106 accidents over the weekend as the National Road and Transport Authority stepped up enforcement, seizing 3,011 driver's licenses and citing 326 drivers for drunk driving.

Also reported by: Radio América, Infobae – Honduras

The Social Development Ministry and UNFPA signed a 19-month, L7.6 million (about $305,000) agreement for the "Sembrando Futuros" project, which will directly serve 600 girls and adolescents across nine municipalities in seven departments to reduce teen pregnancy, school dropout, and violence.

Also reported by: Infobae – Honduras

The Third Infantry Battalion of Honduras's armed forces rescued a British researcher who grew dehydrated while studying cloud-forest biodiversity in Cusuco National Park in Cortés and took him to a hospital in San Pedro Sula.

Relatives of patients at Honduras's main public hospital say they must buy medications, surgical supplies, and materials such as sutures and casts to complete treatments and operations, adding to the burden on families already struggling with medical costs.

Deputy Minister Diana Waleska Herrera stressed the need to protect the region's major water sources across Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador to secure water supplies and strengthen agricultural production.

Getsel Montes claimed his fifth title in Costa Rica as Herediano beat Liga Deportiva Alajuelense 1–0 in the Supercopa, with midfielder Elías Aguilar scoring the winner on a free kick in the 81st minute.

Alejandro Alvarado made history by winning the first Badminton World Federation–sanctioned match ever played by a Honduran, at the U19 Junior International Tournament, a breakthrough for the country's badminton program.

National Police arrested a man in Villanueva, Cortés, who was wanted on an outstanding murder warrant.

A Tegucigalpa judge ordered Brayan Enrique Oliva Moradel and César Daniel Méndez Méndez held in pretrial detention on murder charges in the death of Juan Carlos Flores López, along with charges of criminal association; one of the two also faces an illegal firearm possession charge.

Police arrested a suspect in Opatoro, La Paz, after he allegedly opened fire on two men in an attempted attack.

Honduras's new law exempts returning migrants—whether deported, voluntary returnees, or those with expired visas—from import taxes on household goods (up to $150,000), work tools and machinery (up to $100,000), and two vehicles per family, with processing handled through a single online portal.

Following the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status for Hondurans, migration specialist Julio Gannon says those affected still have options but should consult an immigration attorney to learn what benefits they may qualify for under US law.

President Nasry Asfura unveiled Bien, a mobile app that lets Hondurans store and present legally valid digital versions of official documents—national ID, driver's license, and firearm permits—to speed up public services and cut bureaucratic delays.

Also reported by: El Heraldo, Radio Cadena Voces (RCV), Radio HRN, Radio Cadena Voces (X)

Former Agriculture Minister Laura Elena Suazo rejected her successor's allegations of irregularities in the Productive Technology Bonus program, saying all financial records were handed over during the January 2026 transition and that she welcomes any audit.

The National Police graduated 20 officers as specialists in anti-drug tactical operations after a training course meant to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime.

Honduras's net international reserves reached $1.29 billion as of July 10, up from January 27, with import coverage holding steady at 6.7 months.

More than 261,000 Honduran children in child labor earn an average of L4,279 (about $172) a month—a third of the L14,917 minimum wage—with rural children and those aged 5 to 9 earning the least.

The Central Bank of Honduras forecasts year-over-year inflation of 4.97% at the close of 2026, on a downward path that would bring it within the bank's target range of 3.0% to 5.0% by June 2028.

Manuel Amador, president of the Water Boards, warns that the capital faces a 100-million-cubic-meter water shortfall, arguing the proposed San José de Jacaleapa dam would add only 8 million cubic meters while more than 200 neighborhoods lack piped water and 40% of users receive irregular service.

The national power utility ENEE announced scheduled outages on Wednesday, July 15, across eight departments including Atlántida, Yoro, and Cortés from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for maintenance on transmission lines and distribution circuits.

The government is deploying Concrete Canvas, a reinforced geomesh system, on levees in the Sula Valley to make them more flood-resistant and give communities more time to evacuate before rivers overflow.

The water authority in Tegucigalpa has fined 11 people for violating emergency water-conservation measures, and a contractor lost its supply contract after being caught washing a parking lot during the shortage.

The Infrastructure Ministry opened bids for paving and supervising Route 43 in Yoro, a project officials say will ease the movement of goods and cut shipping costs for producers in Yorito, Sulaco, Victoria, and Yoro.

The Bay Islands health region recorded fewer dengue and malaria cases than in the same period last year, with malaria down 60%, though officials urge residents to step up prevention ahead of the rainy season.

Also reported by: Radio Cadena Voces (RCV)

A study of 19 Garífuna and Lenca communities across four Honduran departments finds they have built their own child-protection systems—community committees, women's networks, and cultural spaces—to shield children from violence where government services fall short.

Amazon Web Services, Grupo Financiero Atlántida, and the US Embassy launched a free training program aiming to equip 15,000 Hondurans by 2028 with cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity skills to improve their job prospects.

The government's Talent Up Honduras program offers free, fully online training in generative AI, cybersecurity, data analysis, cloud computing, and related fields to Hondurans over 18 with internet access and a valid ID.

Honduras's disaster-management agency issued a 72-hour green alert for Gracias a Dios and five municipalities in Olancho as a weather system brings heavy rain expected to cause flooding and landslides through July 16.

Also reported by: TuNota (Canal 5 / TSI), Radio HRN, Radio América Honduras, Radio Cadena Voces (X)

Romell Quioto has signed with a Saudi Arabian club after scoring several goals in the kingdom's second division, extending his international career.

A 13-year-old girl says her teacher attacked her in Danlí after calling her in to discuss her grades, and authorities are investigating a complaint filed by her family.

Armed men, including a foreign national whose identity remains unconfirmed, arrived in four unlicensed vehicles at Tornabé on July 12; police seized ammunition but made no arrests, drawing community accusations of unequal enforcement.