Just How Close Is Honduras to a China Trade Deal?

CENTRAL AMERICA IN MINUTES, Ep. 20: Honduras claims it is closing in on a free-trade deal with China, but negotiations have lagged since late last year. Xiomara Castro is toning down some public references to Chinese cooperation for infrastructure as they play push and pull with Donald Trump.Nicaraguan environmentalist group Fundación del Río filed a complaint with the Supreme Court of Justice against a network of lawyers and notaries trafficking Indigenous land. The foundation and digital outlet Divergentes found illegal land transactions totaling tens of thousands of acres, including protected areas.Human Rights Watch reports forced pregnancies of just under 15,000 girls under the age of 15 in Guatemala in the last six years — 17 cases a day in a country of around 18 million. But accountability is slim: 102 men were convicted stemming from rape and forced pregnancy from 2018 to 2023.El Faro English translates Central America. Listen to Central America in Minutes every Friday on major podcast platforms.Help fund independent journalism in Central America by joining our crowdfunding community at support.elfaro.net. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. Our mantra at El Faro English is simple: Journalism must go on.