Saturday, August 22, 2026

Honduras's National Immigration Institute suspended passport services on August 20 for technical maintenance and platform updates, moving affected appointments to Saturday in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, and La Ceiba at no extra charge.

Congress unanimously approved a tax exemption and contract letting the National Registry import the 500,000 polycarbonate cards it needs to issue national identity documents (DNI) to Hondurans over 18.

Also reported by: Radio Cadena Voces (RCV)

Congress has put a 50% vehicle-registration discount for people 60 and over on hold while the Style Commission fixes drafting errors and strikes references to defunct government agencies.

The Energy Ministry set new fuel prices effective August 24, raising the cost of regular gasoline, diesel, and kerosene, while premium gasoline dips slightly.

Also reported by: El Heraldo, Diario Roatán

Honduras rejoined the international investment arbitration system on August 16, facing 14 to 18 pending claims — most worth 1.6 billion to 2.5 billion lempiras (roughly $64–$100 million) each — with the largest, Próspera's suit, now at about $1.63 billion after being cut from an initial $10.8 billion.

Honduras's energy reforms remain stuck in Congress amid a standoff between the ruling Libre party and the opposition Liberals, prompting a National Party congressman to suggest the president could sidestep the legislature through Cabinet decrees.

Real economic output rose 5.0% in June 2026 from a year earlier, according to the Central Bank's monthly activity index, holding its momentum despite global headwinds.

Foreign direct investment in Honduras dropped 27% in the first quarter of 2026 from a year earlier, falling to $213 million from $292 million, a decline economists and business leaders blame partly on weak global conditions and partly on Honduras's competitive disadvantage against regional peers.

Honduras's national power utility, ENEE, has scheduled outages on August 22 in Copán, El Paraíso, and Francisco Morazán, with cuts starting between 8:20 and 8:30 a.m. and lasting up to seven hours for maintenance.

A private-practice physician in Olancho who saw 320 patients in the first eight months of 2026 says depression (28%), bipolar disorder (24%), and anxiety (15%) dominate his diagnoses, and he is urging more openness about seeking psychiatric care.

Drought has cost farmers and ranchers in Yoro an estimated 150 million lempiras (about $6 million), with corn crops failing, milk production down 40%, and cattle herds shrinking as pastures dry up and rural jobs disappear.

Garbage and construction waste piling up near the Los Laureles reservoir on the Guacerique River, which supplies the capital, is raising fears of contamination if rains wash the debris into drains and waterways.

Yohany Baca will represent Honduras in the ShakthiSAT international space mission in India, joining participants from several countries.

The head of Costa Rica's football federation says Central America could jointly bid to host FIFA's 2031 Under-20 World Cup, which would be Honduras's first time hosting a men's FIFA tournament, though no formal candidacy has been confirmed.

Police arrested a 27-year-old Choloma resident on an outstanding warrant for drug trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm, issued by a local court in July 2023.

An unidentified man was found shot in the head on a dark stretch of road leading to Danlí, and police opened an investigation after a 911 call led to the discovery of the body.

Luis Baca Martínez, a 21-year-old National Police officer assigned to Puerto Cortés, was shot dead on August 17 while off duty in Hato Nuevo, Choluteca, after agreeing to give a ride to a man whose vehicle was being repaired; investigators say his motorcycle was also stolen.

A judge placed former president Juan Orlando Hernández under his legal team's supervision, ordered weekly check-ins, barred him from leaving the country, and required a sworn bond in his fraud and money-laundering trial, as his defense filed a new motion challenging the charges.

The Judiciary, along with civil-society groups, prosecutors, and police, has drafted reforms to the 1997 domestic violence law to close gaps, expand protections for victims by recognizing vicarious and digital violence, and align penalties for offenders.

Congress President Tomás Zambrano said Honduras is up for review by the international Financial Action Task Force and risks landing on a gray list if it fails to strengthen its anti-money-laundering laws, a move that could limit access to international financing and cooperation.

Bay Islands officials met in council to coordinate child protection across agencies, setting up three working groups for protection, health, and education, and planning to grow the SENAF office from a single employee into a regional headquarters with its budget raised to 10 million lempiras.

The child-welfare agency Senaf said it will enforce laws against exposing minors on social media and in the news, warning that such exposure harms children's emotional well-being and dignity, while a human-rights expert pressed for concrete action, citing data that 18,000 Honduran children live on the streets or in vulnerable conditions.

Prosecutors have named three forensic experts to investigate alleged cost overruns of up to 158% on three hospitals built in Ocotepeque, Santa Bárbara, and Olancho under the previous administration, where costs reportedly swelled from roughly $79–80 million to about $200 million.

Tegucigalpa residents are putting off laundry, reusing water, and skipping daily routines as the capital's severe shortage drags on for days without supply, taking a physical and emotional toll.

Also reported by: HCH, Once Noticias

Milton and Adonis Benítez, Honduran brothers known as the 'crystal brothers' for the rare genetic disorder osteogenesis imperfecta, which weakens bones, skin, and vision, died within hours of each other in Cedros, Lempira, prompting an outpouring of sympathy from their community and beyond.

Instituto España Jesús Milla Selva is readying its marching band, flag twirlers, and pom squad for Honduras's Independence Day parade on September 15, with 50 musicians and choreographed performances.

Honduras will play four group-stage matches in the Concacaf Nations League between September 25 and October 5, facing Jamaica twice, Surinam once, and Martinica once, under coach José Francisco Molina.

Dereck McNeil, a protected witness in the investigation into the 2022 disappearance of student Angie Peña, was shot dead Monday on Roatán by armed men, and authorities are investigating how his identity as a protected witness leaked.

Also reported by: El Heraldo

Honduran police seized more than 1.5 metric tons of cocaine hidden in mangroves between the departments of Choluteca and Valle in two operations within 48 hours, and say they may find more as searches continue.

Carlos Eduardo Zaldívar Cervantes, alias El Texas, was rearrested Friday in San Pedro Sula on suspicion of killing Marvin Omar Fernández Vásquez, a 46-year-old law student shot multiple times at his office on August 11; Zaldívar had been released the day before on drug-trafficking charges pending trial.

Also reported by: TuNota (Canal 5 / TSI)