Thursday, October 29, 2026

The weekly torch-lit protests that Libre supporters and university students launched in Tegucigalpa in June against fuel prices and the privatization of ENEE are drawing fewer than 1,000 people and losing steam, despite organizers' claims of growing support.

Economic Development Secretary Eddy Ordóñez said the regulations for a law letting returning Hondurans import tools, equipment and vehicles duty-free will be published by Wednesday, after a final review by the President.

The government's Liquidation Commission filed a complaint with the Public Ministry alleging that at least 25 agencies misappropriated public funds, misused state resources and left money unaccounted for under the previous administration, and prosecutors will review the records to weigh possible criminal charges.

Congress has added 389 employees and L18.27 million (about $730,000) to its monthly payroll in eight months, raising transparency concerns about how salaries are set and the risk of political patronage.

A UN special rapporteur on judicial independence has written to Honduras warning that vague grounds for removing judges, prosecutors and other officials, coupled with weak procedural safeguards, threaten judicial independence and job security.

Honduras paid an extra $573.3 million for fuel imports from January through August 2026 because of higher global prices, with diesel making up 54% of the additional cost.

President Nasry Asfura said gasoline will fall by 1 to 2.62 lempiras per gallon on November 2, while diesel will rise 8.68 lempiras, though the government will cover that increase through a subsidy.

Honduran coffee exports dropped $4.4 million in the first eight months of 2026 from a year earlier, as falling global prices wiped out the $313.1 million gain from higher export volume.

BANHPROVI president Sergio Amaya said the state housing bank is weighing an increase to its 4% and 7% mortgage rates, which officials consider unsustainable.

Also reported by: Radio América Honduras

Honduras's private-sector council and business groups met with an International Monetary Fund mission conducting the country's sixth program review, a process officials call crucial for economic stability and attracting new financing.

The national utility ENEE will carry out scheduled maintenance outages on October 29 affecting the capital district, towns in Olancho and Cortés and surrounding areas, with cuts lasting two to eight hours depending on the location.

A congressman from the Christian Democratic Party introduced a proposal to build pedestrian bridges near Hospital Escuela and Hospital San Felipe in Tegucigalpa, directing the Infrastructure Ministry to carry out engineering studies and design safe crossings for patients, visitors, the elderly and people with disabilities.

The Property Institute said it is close to starting nationwide vehicle registration and license-plate distribution, ending a nearly four-year delay caused by supply shortages and red tape that left drivers on the road with temporary permits.

President Nasry Asfura opened bids on Tuesday for road projects in Intibucá that include a new concrete boulevard between Santa Lucía and Magdalena and upgrades to link three municipalities and strengthen cross-border ties with El Salvador.

The Health Ministry released more than 500 million lempiras from a health trust fund to buy medicines and surgical supplies, and will operate on 360 patients in private clinics to cut surgery backlogs.

Hospital Satuyé on Roatán has waited since January for replacement parts from Thailand to repair air-conditioning units damaged by electrical problems, even as it received 2.7 million lempiras (about $108,000) in laboratory reagents and expects surgical supplies in November.

The Medical College ended two months of informational assemblies on October 26 and resumed care at public hospitals amid continuing salary talks, though more than 20,000 appointments still need to be rescheduled.

A congresswoman from the Libre party introduced a bill to ban Halloween events in all public and private schools nationwide, citing an effort to strengthen ethical and moral values in students' education.

La Ceiba will host the CONDEPOR Under-18 Basketball Tournament from November 26 to 29 at the José Simón Azcona gymnasium, drawing young players from across Honduras to compete and sharpen their skills.

Honduras held a swearing-in ceremony for the youth athletes who will compete at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, with officials pledging to support the delegation.

The Foreign Ministry reported that 10 citizens remain missing after being lured by false job offers tied to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while nine have returned and three have died, and it warned of ongoing scams dangling fake civilian jobs in agriculture, cooking and security with promises of high pay.

Also reported by: Radio Cadena Voces (RCV)

Isaac Sandoval was convicted on charges carrying a prison term of 4 to 6 years and 8 months, with sentencing set for November 11.

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

An Organization of American States cybersecurity report warns that artificial intelligence can clone a human voice from just three seconds of audio to impersonate bank employees and steal customers' money, with fewer than one in four adults able to reliably spot a synthetic call.