San Salvador Times

Portugal Takes Two-Match Lead Over El Salvador in Davis Cup

Portugal established a two-match advantage over El Salvador in Davis Cup competition as the Salvadoran national tennis team continued its campaign on the international stage.

Dani Alves Visit Draws Attention to El Salvador’s Surf City Tourism Project

Brazilian footballer Dani Alves visited the El Tunco coastal area, bringing international attention to El Salvador’s Surf City infrastructure and its effort to attract more overseas visitors to the Pacific coast.

World Bicycle Forum in San Salvador Focuses on Congestion and Sustainable Transport

Urban planners, environmental advocates and infrastructure specialists gathered in San Salvador for the World Bicycle Forum, focusing on traffic congestion and proposals to expand non-motorized transport across Central American cities.

El Salvador Opens Technology-Focused School Campus in Los Toles

The Salvadoran government inaugurated a modernized public school in Canton Los Toles equipped with advanced learning technology as part of efforts to upgrade education infrastructure in rural communities.

El Salvador Launches Sustainable Housing Pilot Using Recycled Materials and Solar Power

Developers and government agencies in El Salvador launched a housing pilot combining recycled industrial materials with solar-energy systems, targeting demand for more affordable and environmentally sustainable urban homes.

Central American Businesses Put Digital Transformation at Top of Corporate Agenda

A regional survey found that 42% of Central American companies view digital and technological transformation as a leading operational priority, highlighting demand for fintech, digital-asset and artificial-intelligence services across th...

Severe Drought in Nicaragua Raises Food and Commodity Risks Across Central America

Agricultural producers and opposition figures in Nicaragua have criticized the government’s response to severe drought conditions, raising concerns about food supplies, inflation and regional commodity prices for importing countries incl...

Guatemala Expels Salvadoran Gang Member in Cross-Border Security Operation

Guatemalan authorities transferred a Salvadoran gang member with a criminal record back to El Salvador, highlighting continued intelligence sharing and border coordination against transnational gang networks in Central America.

Mexican Authorities Destroy Synthetic Drug Laboratories Linked to Regional Trafficking Networks

Mexican security forces dismantled several clandestine laboratories used to produce synthetic drugs, disrupting trafficking networks whose operations affect border security and organized crime across Central America, including El Salvador.

El Salvador Reports About 1,000 Suspected Dengue Cases in One Month

Health authorities in El Salvador recorded approximately 1,000 suspected dengue cases over the past month, prompting intensified mosquito-control efforts amid wider concerns over seasonal weather and tropical disease risks in Central Ame...

Guatemala Overtakes El Salvador and Honduras in Central American Remittance Inflows

Guatemala received the largest volume of family remittances in Central America during recent monitoring periods, while overseas transfers remain a major source of consumption, property investment and liquidity in El Salvador.

Guatemala Draws More Than $200 Million in New Multinational Manufacturing Investment

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and other multinational companies finalized more than $200 million in manufacturing investments in Guatemala, underscoring stronger investment activity and growing nearshoring interest across Central America.

International Groups Renew Concerns Over El Salvador’s Prolonged Emergency Measures

International human rights monitors and regional diplomatic observers continue to raise concerns about the long-term democratic implications of suspended constitutional protections under El Salvador’s extended state of emergency.

El Salvador’s Bitcoin Reserve Reaches 7,777 Coins With More Than $160 Million in Unrealized Gains

El Salvador’s national Bitcoin holdings reached an estimated value of $594 million, with more than $160 million in unrealized gains, as private accumulation continues under restrictions limiting the use of public funds for additional cry...

El Salvador Extends State of Emergency for Another 30 Days

El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly approved another 30-day extension of the national state of emergency, keeping expanded police and military powers in place as the government continues its campaign against organized gangs.

US Keeps Work Authorization for Salvadoran TPS Holders in Place Pending Final Decision

Salvadorans covered by Temporary Protected Status in the United States will retain work authorization and deportation protections while authorities finalize a decision on the program, avoiding an immediate disruption to remittance flows ...

IMF Raises El Salvador’s 2026 Growth Forecast to 4.5%

The International Monetary Fund raised its 2026 growth projection for El Salvador to 4.5%, citing economic modernization, infrastructure expansion, strong remittance flows and tourism alongside a recent $140 million staff-level financing...

Salvadoran Civil Society Groups Condemn U.S. Economic Policies Toward Cuba

Several Salvadoran social movements and political solidarity groups criticized U.S. economic restrictions on Cuba, reflecting continuing divisions within the country’s civil society over Washington’s policies in Latin America.

San Salvador Historic Center Expands Micro-Mobility and Hospitality Projects

Urban planners and hospitality operators in San Salvador’s Historic Center introduced new international culinary events and cargo-tricycle logistics initiatives as part of efforts to modernize downtown commerce and improve the pedestrian...

El Salvador Uses Independence Day Parade to Showcase Security and Education Initiatives

President Nayib Bukele’s administration brought together thousands of students and military personnel for the 205th Central American Independence Day parade, using the event to highlight security-force modernization and national organiza...

El Salvador’s Surf City Draws Further Tourism and Coastal Investment

Tourism operators, government agencies and developers reported continued growth in visitor activity and coastal investment tied to Surf City, improved aviation links and new hospitality projects in major tourism corridors.

Cryptocurrency Accounts for Less Than 1% of El Salvador Remittances

El Salvador’s central bank said cryptocurrency transfers represented less than 1% of international remittances received in the first half of 2026, showing continued reliance on traditional currency channels despite the country’s Bitcoin ...

San Salvador Centro Targets $136 Million in Unpaid Municipal Taxes

Authorities in San Salvador Centro launched an operation to recover $136 million in outstanding municipal taxes, with an initial goal of securing at least $59 million for infrastructure and public services.

El Salvador Issues Infrastructure Alerts as Severe Tropical Weather Threatens Key Areas

El Salvador’s Environment Ministry issued alerts for moderate to severe tropical storms, prompting preparations to protect transport routes, agricultural areas and critical urban infrastructure.

El Salvador Employers and Labor Groups Advance Talks on Four-Day Workweek

Labor organizations and private-sector representatives in El Salvador advanced discussions on a four-day workweek built around 10-hour working days, with the proposal framed around productivity and working conditions.

El Salvador Ranks Third Globally for International Tourism Growth in First Half of 2026

United Nations Tourism data placed El Salvador third worldwide for international tourism growth in the first half of 2026, making it the fastest-growing market in Central America during the period.

El Salvador Opens Unified Trial of 79 Alleged MS-13 Members in San Salvador

El Salvador’s Attorney General’s Office brought 79 alleged MS-13 members before the Second Organized Crime Court of San Salvador in a unified trial that forms part of the government’s continuing anti-gang campaign.

Bukele Denies Transfer of El Salvador’s Bitcoin Reserves as Holdings Near $600 Million

President Nayib Bukele denied that El Salvador transferred any of its national Bitcoin reserves to private operators to secure an International Monetary Fund agreement, as tracking data put the country’s holdings at 7,777 Bitcoin.

U.S. Praises El Salvador’s Regional Security Role and Technology Supply-Chain Cooperation

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised President Nayib Bukele’s government for its participation in the Shield of the Americas defense coalition, Haitian stabilization efforts and the Pax Silica semiconductor supply-chain initiative.

Central American Monetary Council Forecasts 3.8% Regional Growth in 2026

The Central American Monetary Council projected economic growth of 3.8% across the region in 2026, citing continued resilience in economies including El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala despite inflation and supply-chain risks.

Guatemala Raises Growth Forecast to 4.3% as Multinationals Expand Manufacturing and Logistics

Guatemala’s central bank raised its economic growth projection to 4.3% after more than $224 million in manufacturing and logistics investments from multinational companies including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.

Costa Rica Expands Medical-Device Manufacturing as Exports Approach $11 Billion

Costa Rica exported nearly $11 billion in medical devices and secured 14 major manufacturing projects for the next two years, strengthening the country’s role as a regional destination for biomedical manufacturing and technology investment.

UN Agency Warns Central America Remains Highly Exposed to Changes in U.S. Migration Policy

The United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development warned that heavy reliance on remittances leaves Central American economies vulnerable to shifts in U.S. migration policy, with the flows accounting for 28% of El Salvado...

Honduran Forces Evict Garifuna Communities in Cayos Cochinos Territorial Dispute

Honduran police and military personnel carried out forced evictions of Indigenous Garifuna communities in the Cayos Cochinos region, prompting condemnation from international human rights groups monitoring violence against environmental ...

El Salvador Raises 2026 Growth Forecast to 5% After $500 Million Investment Surge

El Salvador’s central bank lifted its 2026 economic growth forecast to 5% after more than $500 million in new investment expansions linked to nearshoring and changes to business regulations.

IMF Raises El Salvador 2026 Growth Forecast to 4.5% as Financing Deal Advances

The International Monetary Fund projected El Salvador’s economy will expand 4.5% in 2026 after stronger-than-expected performance, while a staff-level agreement could unlock $140 million in immediate financing.

U.S. Lets El Salvador Temporary Protected Status Expire, Affecting About 170,000 Migrants

The Trump administration allowed Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador to expire without renewal, leaving about 170,000 Salvadorans facing legal uncertainty and raising concerns over remittance flows that account for nearly 30% of t...

El Salvador Swears In New Leadership for National Council of the Judiciary

Salvadoran lawmakers approved and swore in new magistrates to lead the National Council of the Judiciary, marking another institutional change within the country’s legal system.

San Salvador Hosts Global Forum on Sustainable Urban Transport

Urban planners and transport specialists gathered in San Salvador for the World Bicycle Forum, discussing cargo-tricycle rules and dedicated cycling infrastructure as possible responses to heavy urban traffic congestion.

El Salvador Says Passport Ranking Improves as Visa-Free Access Expands

El Salvador’s Foreign Ministry says the country’s passport has moved higher in international rankings after citizens gained visa-free access to additional destinations.

Bukele Government Says El Salvador’s Bitcoin Reserves Will Remain Under State Control

President Nayib Bukele’s government said the national Bitcoin treasury will remain under state control, rejecting reports that IMF agreements involved transferring sovereign digital assets or the Chivo wallet platform to private financia...

Spain Grants Asylum to Salvadoran Anti-Mining Activists

Spain has granted international protection to a group of Salvadoran environmental activists who opposed metallic mining, drawing renewed international attention to environmental policy and civil society conditions in El Salvador.

San Salvador Aerocable Project Reaches 50% Completion

El Salvador’s Public Works Ministry says the Aerocable mass-transit system has reached the halfway mark after installation of its ninth structural tower in Mejicanos, advancing a project intended to ease urban congestion.

San Salvador Historic Center Draws New Hotel and Commercial Developments

Private developers are launching new hotel and commercial projects in San Salvador’s historic center following municipal revitalisation efforts and improved security conditions, targeting growing visitor traffic and domestic spending.

International Tour Operators Expand El Salvador Packages as Surf City Investment Grows

Tourism authorities and private developers report continued coastal investment as international operators add more El Salvador travel packages and demand rises along the Surf City corridor.