Saturday, September 19, 2026 — Morning Edition

President Asfura's government plans to ask the National Security Council to declare a state of exception in at least 30 municipalities battered by criminal gangs and forced displacement, though which municipalities and how far the measure will reach remain undefined.

Also reported by: Infobae – Honduras

The campaign finance oversight unit, UFTF, confirmed that all 104 candidates elected on the LIBRE ticket filed their required financial disclosures on time.

Honduras exported 630 metric tons of fine and aromatic cacao through September 2026, earning $2.8 million, with most shipments headed to Central America and about 70 processing companies adding value to the crop.

The Central Bank of Honduras raised its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 6%, effective Monday, citing inflation that hit 6.2% in August and pushed past the target range.

Vehicle registration fees in Cortés department, including San Pedro Sula, are the highest in northern Honduras, driven by municipal rates that vary widely by engine size and municipality.

Honduras's 2026–2027 wage agreement includes a safeguard clause that triggers an automatic minimum-wage increase if year-on-year inflation in December exceeds 7%, shielding workers' purchasing power from rising prices.

More than 100 Honduran shoe-making workshops are at risk of closing as raw-material costs rise 5–10%, driven partly by blackouts and power rationing, putting more than 400 jobs in jeopardy, the industry association warned.

Also reported by: Radio Cadena Voces (RCV)

The RAP retirement fund has launched a digital loyalty program that lets its more than 400,000 members claim discounts at participating merchants by showing a mobile QR code, now being piloted with select businesses.

Honduras's National Port Authority reported 1.3 billion lempiras (about $52 million) in revenue through mid-2026, up 20% from the prior period, and expects year-end receipts to top 2 billion lempiras with investments of more than 400 million lempiras.

The government and taxi groups agreed to provide free conversion kits to switch taxis from diesel to natural gas, a pilot expected to cut fuel costs by 50% and head off fare increases in the capital.

Energy Secretary Eduardo Oviedo said Honduras is drafting terms for a new electricity-generation auction in two stages—one adding roughly 600 megawatts and a later phase of up to 1,000 megawatts—pending congressional approval of energy reforms now before lawmakers; the sector will need about $6 billion in generation, transmission, and distribution investment.

Honduras's epidemiology chief urged residents to keep water containers tightly covered to stop mosquitoes from breeding during a water shortage in Tegucigalpa, as the country has logged 11,848 dengue cases and four deaths so far this year.

Lawyers examining Honduras's ongoing physician strike say the halt to outpatient services at public hospitals could expose officials and doctors to legal liability for failing to provide essential care to low-income patients.

The Materno Infantil hospital in Tegucigalpa recorded 478 births to adolescents through early September—15.54% of all deliveries—including 33 girls aged 14, prompting it to open a clinic offering contraceptive counseling, psychological support, and family planning to prevent repeat pregnancies.

After residents reported a puma roaming Ojojona, Francisco Morazán, and killing livestock, municipal authorities joined the fire department and national police to track and contain the animal in the rural Cenicera and Surcos de Caña areas.

Sargassum seaweed washed up on Omoa's Caribbean beaches two days ago, disrupting fishing and threatening tourism during the busy Morazán Week holiday, as local authorities organize crews to keep the coastline clear.

Also reported by: Radio Cadena Voces (RCV)

Tegucigalpa's 448th-anniversary celebration opens Saturday with a free concert by Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Ozuna near the National University, followed the next weekend by the Capital Fest festival at the Olympic Village.

Also reported by: Once Noticias, HCH, Radio Cadena Voces (RCV)

Mauricio Dubón, the Honduran player who helped Houston win the 2022 World Series, was honored by the Astros when he returned to face them with the Atlanta Braves.

Also reported by: Infobae – Honduras

The Honduran Football Federation has set ticket prices—from 200 to 600 lempiras, about $8–$24—for home Nations League matches against Surinam on September 25 and Jamaica on October 5 at the National Stadium in Tegucigalpa.

José Eliézer Martínez, deported to Honduras in April, re-entered the U.S. in August, was arrested and held for 37 days by ICE, but won a court order allowing him to stay and was released.

A suspected robber died of a gunshot wound to the face outside a central Tegucigalpa hotel after a resident shot him in self-defense while fending off an attempted mugging.

Also reported by: HCH

Relatives identified Edy Alvarado at the San Pedro Sula morgue after his body was found showing signs of violence in the Las Flores de Mayo neighborhood on September 16; authorities are investigating.