Topic: San Salvador

El Salvador sees drop in murders but rise in disappearances

An 8 percent rise in disappearances could undermine the achievements of a gang truce, which has seen murders in El Salvador drop by nearly 60 percent since March, writes a guest blogger.

On this Take Your Child to Work Day, Secret Service and strippers

Take Your Child to Work Day got a bit awkward at a State Department briefing yesterday, with journalists asking about a widening Secret Service scandal involving prostitutes and strippers.

Secret Service now investigating El Salvador trip

The agency is concerned that agents may have hired strippers and prostitutes there as well when the President visited last year.

Is El Salvador negotiating with criminal street gangs?

A deal with El Salvador's two biggest street gangs may signal a less militaristic security strategy, writes guest blogger Geoffrey Ramsey.

El Salvador elections: Another test for Latin America's left

Sunday's National Congress and mayoral elections in El Salvador are seen as a litmus test for President Mauricio Funes of the left-leaning Farabundo Marti Liberation Front (FMLN).

Are El Salvador’s gangs plotting to 'take down the system'?

The Salvadoran National Civil Police say gangs are planning attacks on security forces, but others believe the remark has more to do with politics.

Guatemalans scale volcano to protest domestic violence

Violence against women has surged in Central America, prompting awareness efforts like the one in Guatemala this weekend.

Hurricane Rina closes in on Mexican beach resorts

Hurricane Rina is threatening Cancun and other beach resorts on the Yucatan Peninsula with heavy wind and rain.

Hurricane Rina bound for Cancun, Mexico

Hurricane Rina is now a Category 2 hurricane, and is forecast to reach Cancun, Mexico, Thursday. Coffee futures are up due to expected losses due to hurricane Rina in the region.

Heavy rains kill dozens in Central America

Floods, landslides, and collapsed infrastructure killed at least 66 as of Sunday, with heavy rain to continue through Wednesday. Blogger Tim Muth looks at how El Salvador, one of the worst hit Central American countries, prepared for the rain and the impact it could have on harvests.

As gang violence hits El Salvador, a new wave of disappearances

El Salvador is experiencing disappearances linked to the gang violence hitting the country, mostly of young people and teens, with a frequency not seen since the country's civil war, which ended almost 20 years ago.

Crime, drug news shouldn't overshadow Latin America's growing economy

Guest blogger James Bosworth says that despite the media's focus on violence in Latin America – which certainly can't be ignored – the region offers friendly faces and strong investments.

In El Salvador, Obama lauds Funes as a model Central American leader

During his two-day visit to El Salvador, President Obama hailed center-left President Mauricio Funes as a leader who has strengthened democracy in a region beset by instability.

Tropical Storm Agatha kills 150 in Central America

Landslides caused by Tropical Storm Agatha buried dozens of rural Indian communities.

Guatemala gangs to bus drivers: pay a fee, or risk death

Guatemala gangs have for years extorted bus drivers for protection money. In 2009 alone, 146 drivers and 60 drivers' assistants were murdered.

Chile earthquake takes heavy toll on historical sites

For many the Chile earthquake is over. Not for Oscar Acuña, who is racing the clock to save historical sites from demolition and further disrepair.

Guatemala slowly confronts widespread rape of women

In Guatemala, drug trafficking, gang violence, and a climate of impunity lead to widespread rape of women. At least 10,000 women were victims of sexual violence last year.

How an American couple came to be spies for Cuba

Kendall and Gwendolyn Myers were recruited from academia by Fidel Castro's intelligence service - one of the best in the world.

El Salvador: A former guerrilla becomes a tour guide