Saturday, July 18, 2026 — Evening Edition

The Labor Ministry has released the recruitment schedule for its temporary-work program abroad: Spain will recruit in October and November 2026 for farm and hospitality jobs, while the U.S. and Canada take applications year-round for carnival workers, housekeepers, and construction helpers.

Honduras's Property Institute distributed 1,141 property titles to families in San Pedro Sula on Saturday, with another 5,797 ready for pickup, securing land rights for about 7,000 households across 240 neighborhoods.

Civil-society groups are pressing Congress to prioritize electoral reforms, including a presidential runoff, depoliticizing voting boards, and strengthening electoral institutions, but lawmakers have yet to schedule debate on substantive changes ahead of the 2029 elections.

The Central Bank of Honduras auctioned $84.4 million on July 17, setting a weighted average exchange rate of L26.7657 per dollar for July 18–20.

The fourth annual Expo Comayagua 2026, organized by the Comayagua Chamber of Commerce, brings together 29 vendors along with networking sessions, masterclasses, and food tastings meant to build commercial partnerships and strengthen business ties.

Honduras's average fuel-import cost reached $133.53 a barrel in May 2026, up 2.9% from April but slowing from the steep gains of March and April.

Honduran coffee, cacao, and cashew producer groups completed a July 15–16 workshop in Choluteca on export procedures and EU deforestation rules, backed by EU funding and university support to help them meet international market requirements.

Karim Qubain, president of the Cortés Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIC), warned that redesigning the engineering studies for the El Tablón Dam could push the project back further, arguing the Sula Valley cannot afford more delay given its vulnerability to climate change.

Also reported by: Radio Cadena Voces (X)

David Maldonado, a Honduran military parachutist hurt during September 15 independence day celebrations, has returned to Honduras to continue his recovery; his wife says he is stable but still needs orthotic support to walk.

Honduras's Hemophilia Society is urging the government to ensure timely diagnosis and steady access to modern therapies for the estimated 500 to 600 Hondurans with the inherited bleeding disorder, citing a shortage of specialists outside the capital and gaps in supply.

The Environmental Coalition of Honduras (COAH) warns that a proposed marine terminal in Omoa and a planned smart city in La Mosquitia would destroy coastal forests and coral reefs, saying the projects would cost the country more than $255 million a year in lost ecosystem services, tourism revenue, and climate damage.

Honduras's Education Ministry has ordered schools to hold parade rehearsals outside class hours and barred full-day cancellations to protect learning time ahead of the September 15 independence celebrations.

A teachers union leader rejected an Association for a More Just Society report that Honduras lost about nine school days in the first half of 2026, arguing the union staged only two protest days and that other interruptions came from administrative changes, not teacher action.

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck the Caribbean Sea northeast of Gracias a Dios on July 18 at 10:08 a.m. at a depth of 30 kilometers; Copeco reported no damage or injuries on land.

Also reported by: HCH, La Prensa

Honduras will see little rain this weekend as Saharan dust and high temperatures move in, affecting air quality and weather nationwide.

Also reported by: Radio América Honduras

Public institutions in Lempira Department will close on July 20 to mark National Identity Day and honor the indigenous leader Lempira, who resisted the Spanish conquest in the 1530s.

Argentine midfielder Bruno Farioli, Marathón's key attacking player, injured his right knee in a preseason friendly against Génesis FC on July 18, a worrying setback weeks before the Apertura 2026 season and just a year after his eight-month recovery from knee surgery.

Honduran defender Andy Nájar returned from a muscle injury in Nashville SC's 1–0 win over Atlanta United on July 18, a result that widened the team's lead atop the MLS Eastern Conference.

Óscar Alvarado Díaz, a Honduran with convictions for theft and drug conspiracy, was deported nine times but kept reentering the United States before being expelled on a U.S. military aircraft on June 4 as part of Washington's intensified deportation drive.

The municipality of Guaimaca has approved an ordinance banning motorcycle helmets within the town, saying the move will curb crime by stripping away anonymity, but national traffic authorities say it violates Honduras's Traffic Law, which requires helmet use.

Also reported by: HCH

Alejandra Rubio, a Honduran presenter and content creator, publicly reported death threats made on July 16 against her, her family, and her team, warning that anyone responsible will be held to account for any harm.

National Police rescued a five-month-old who had been kidnapped and was being carried in a suitcase in Puerto Lempira; the infant has been reunited with his mother.

Police in Olancho arrested a mother and father accused of sexually exploiting their daughters, one of whom became pregnant as a result of the abuse.

Also reported by: Radio Cadena Voces (X)