A high-profile leadership shakeup at Suriname’s leading fisheries inspection body has ignited a bitter public dispute over governance, institutional independence and ministerial authority, with the outgoing director stepping down early to avoid formal removal amid claims of sustained pressure and intimidation. After more than two decades at the helm of the Viskeuringsinstituut (VKI), Juliette Colli-Wongsoredjo announced her resignation before her planned removal from office, prompting immediate intervention from Suriname’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Mike Noersalim. The minister quickly appointed Arisha Sital-Sewbaran as acting director and named Rashley Resida, current secretary of the VKI Supervisory Board, as second co-signatory for institutional financial transactions, granting him authority to co-approve all transactions worth more than 10,000 Surinamese dollars. As of the time of the dispute, the VKI holds a bank balance of more than $600,000 in its operating account, and unlike many state entities, the institution is entirely funded by the domestic fishing industry rather than government tax revenue. The unfolding conflict came to public light during a widely attended press conference held at the Banquet Hall of Torarica, where representatives of major industry groups including the Federation of Suriname Farmers (FSA), the Suriname Seafood Association, small-scale artisanal fishing communities, along with members of the VKI Supervisory Board and their legal counsel outlined their deep concerns about recent developments at the inspection body. All speakers at the event stressed the critical importance of preserving VKI’s operational independence, a core requirement for its international accreditation and market access. Amid the leadership chaos, VKI’s full staff has issued a formal statement calling for calm, continuity and institutional stability. In an open letter addressed to the Supervisory Board, staff members confirmed that all core daily operations of the VKI remain fully functional, including import and export processing, routine product inspections, mandatory certification workflows, laboratory testing, and administrative support services, all of which are operating on schedule and to required standards. The staff also expressed their full backing for the Supervisory Board’s ongoing agenda focused on increasing institutional transparency, strengthening governance frameworks, and rebuilding public and sector trust in the body. They called on all involved stakeholders to respect the need for calm and allow space for a thorough, objective fact-finding process, arguing this approach is in the best interest of Suriname’s entire fishing sector and the country’s international reputation. Speakers at the press conference highlighted the transformative growth VKI achieved under Colli’s 20-plus years of leadership, describing her as a transformative figure comparable to iconic Surinamese leader Eddy Jharap for the institution. Under her direction, VKI upgraded its operational standards to fully align with European Union regulations, a position it maintains today, giving the institution a unique, respected standing across the Caribbean region. Speakers also pushed back against recent claims that the VKI has failed to complete required financial reporting. FSA chair Tania Lieuw-A-Sjoe clarified that all annual financial reports have been completed and filed on schedule, and the institution only received an extension to 2026 to adapt its reporting formats to the new international IFRS accounting standards. All annual financial statements have consistently been audited by independent accountants in line with global regulatory requirements, and the national audit body CLAD served as the external auditor through 2020. Press conference organizers also noted that they only learned of Minister Noersalim’s formal letter to the Supervisory Board – copied to President Jennifer Simons – appointing the new acting director and co-signatory during the event itself. Industry representatives have formally challenged the minister’s legal authority to unilaterally appoint a second co-signatory, arguing the move directly violates VKI’s official founding statutes. Under existing institutional rules, the director holds sole signing authority for transactions under 10,000 Surinamese dollars, while larger transactions require co-signature from either the Supervisory Board chair or a second co-signatory. By statute, this second co-signatory must be nominated by the sitting director and approved by the full Supervisory Board. Industry representatives also noted that by long-standing convention, the co-signatory is always a representative of the fishing sector, since all operating funds are contributed directly by sector participants. The previous co-signatory was Udo Karg, who now sits as a member of the VKI Supervisory Board. According to industry accounts, Colli refused to approve Resida’s appointment as co-signatory on the grounds that he lacks broad support within the fishing sector. Questions have also been raised about Resida’s conduct during a recent meeting with President Jennifer Simons, particularly around adherence to requirements for confidentiality and data privacy. After these concerns emerged, the FSA formally requested a public accounting from the Supervisory Board, but Lieuw-A-Sjoe said the body failed to provide satisfactory answers, leading to a further erosion of trust. Colli had previously nominated Supervisory Board member Mark Lall for the co-signatory position, but the group never responded to that nomination. “We have no clarity on what the underlying agenda here is, but it is surprising that they have been able to push their changes through despite our objections,” Lieuw-A-Sjoe said. “We are now waiting to see what the next steps will be.” Beyond the immediate leadership dispute, the sector has expressed serious anxiety about an upcoming regulatory audit by the European Union, a critical check that VKI has passed without incident for many consecutive years. Lieuw-A-Sjoe confirmed that Colli stepped down because she felt systematically intimidated and pressured by members of the Supervisory Board and a special “quick scan” review team, including unfounded accusations of money laundering tied to the institution’s financial management. Colli has issued a formal ultimatum to Minister Noersalim and the Supervisory Board, threatening legal action if the accusations of financial misconduct and mismanagement are not backed up by concrete evidence. That ultimatum was set to expire on April 28.
分类： politics
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Guyana’s aviation sector protests Venezuelan President’s ‘Essequibo’ brooch in meetings with CARICOM leaders
A diplomatic dispute over the contested Essequibo Region has flared up again after Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez wore a controversial map brooch during back-to-back official visits to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states, drawing sharp condemnation from a leading Guyanese industry group.
The incident unfolded on April 27, 2026, during Rodriguez’s second visit to a CARICOM nation in less than three months. Meeting with Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley in Bridgetown, the Venezuelan leader was spotted wearing a lapel brooch that re-draws Venezuela’s map to incorporate the 159,000-square-kilometer Essequibo Region – a territory long recognized by international law as part of Guyana. This was not an isolated choice: Rodriguez wore the exact same brooch during an April visit to Grenada for talks with Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, photographs of the encounter confirm.
Within hours of the Barbados meeting, the Aviation Operators Association of Guyana (AOAG), a trade body representing the country’s privately-owned domestic aviation carriers, issued a strongly worded statement condemning the gesture as deliberate, provocative aggression. The group labeled the brooch an “offensive emblem” and framed Rodriguez’s repeated use of the symbol during high-level diplomatic engagements as “continued provocative conduct” that undermines regional norms of peaceful dispute resolution.
“This calculated act is not diplomacy. It is theatrical aggression, wrapped in symbolism and intended to offend, intimidate, and destabilize,” the AOAG statement read. “It is especially insulting when displayed before the leaders and peoples of CARICOM, a community founded on mutual respect, sovereignty, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.”
The association called on all CARICOM member states to stand in solidarity with Guyana, urging regional governments to remain vigilant and reject any attempt – whether symbolic or practical – to legitimize what it calls Venezuela’s unlawful territorial claim. “The Caribbean must never provide a stage for territorial adventurism,” the statement added.
The long-running territorial dispute over Essequibo is currently working its way through the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ highest court for state-to-state disputes. Next month, the court will open multiple days of public hearings to hear arguments from both sides on the merits of the case, which centers on the legal validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award that established the current border between Venezuela and what was then British Guiana. The ICJ is expected to issue a binding ruling on the dispute in the first quarter of 2027.
The AOAG emphasized that for more than 125 years, Guyana has maintained uninterrupted, peaceful, and internationally recognized sovereign administration over the entire Essequibo Region. The group argued that Rodriguez’s reliance on symbolic cartographic claims does not alter established international law, nor does it weaken Guyana’s commitment to defending its territorial integrity.
“Indeed, such conduct diminishes Venezuela far more than it threatens Guyana,” the statement continued. “It reflects a government more interested in manufacturing external disputes than addressing internal crises. A badge does not confer sovereignty. A lapel pin cannot erase treaties, arbitral awards, or the will of a free people.”
The AOAG reaffirmed the group’s unwavering position that the Essequibo Region has always been, and will forever remain, an inseparable part of Guyana’s sovereign territory.
Regional dynamics add a layer of complexity to the dispute: while all CARICOM member states have formally backed Guyana’s territorial claim, many small Caribbean island nations have maintained close fraternal ties with successive Venezuelan governments, dating back to the Hugo Chavez administration. In exchange for these warm relations, Venezuela has long provided the bloc with concessionary oil prices and other forms of development assistance, creating divisions in regional responses to Caracas’ ongoing claims.
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Honourable Spencer Brand Minister of Labour in the Nevis Island Administration World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2026 Address
On April 28, 2026, marking the annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work, Honourable Spencer Brand, Minister of Labour within the Nevis Island Administration, delivered a keynote address centering on the urgent need to prioritize psychosocial wellbeing in workplaces across the island, framing the issue as a foundational driver of economic prosperity and social resilience.
This year’s global observance carries the official theme “Good Psychosocial Working Environment: A Pathway to Thriving and Strong Organization”, a framing that Brand leveraged to reaffirm a core governing priority: that Nevis’ workers are the territory’s most valuable asset. He emphasized that their mental and emotional wellness is not a secondary concern, but a non-negotiable requirement for a high-functioning public sector, growing private industry, and connected, resilient communities.
While the Nevis Island Administration has a long-standing track record of upholding basic workplace safety standards and expanding fair employment opportunities, Brand acknowledged that shifting global and local realities have created new demands that go far beyond minimum regulatory compliance. Rapid digital transformation, steadily growing workloads for many workers, and persistent global economic uncertainty have elevated psychosocial risks, requiring a proactive, people-centered approach to build workspaces where every employee feels valued, heard, and emotionally and physically secure.
Research and on-the-ground experience confirm that workplaces defined by respectful culture, manageable workloads, accessible peer and managerial support, and inclusive leadership deliver measurable benefits: better overall worker health, higher sustained productivity, more cohesive cross-team collaboration, and greater workforce confidence, Brand noted.
To advance this goal across Nevis’ public and private sectors, Brand laid out three interconnected guiding pillars that will shape the administration’s policy and outreach efforts moving forward.
The first pillar is people-first leadership. Brand stressed that organizational leaders set the cultural tone for entire workplaces: when leaders prioritize empathy and open communication, workers feel safe to raise concerns about burnout, workload imbalance, or other stressors without fear of retaliation. To embed this approach, he announced the administration’s commitment to expanding targeted training for leaders at all levels, equipping them to identify early signs of worker burnout, distribute workloads more sustainably, and support staff through compassionate, confidential care.
The second pillar is expanded, stigma-free access to robust mental health support. Brand noted that universal access to professional counseling, employee assistance programs, and specialized workplace health services is critical to addressing psychosocial risks. The administration will prioritize ongoing efforts to reduce cultural stigma around seeking mental health support in workplaces, expand access to evidence-based wellbeing initiatives including stress management training and peer support networks, and ensure no worker is left without resources to care for their mental health.
The third pillar is cultivating an inclusive, collaborative workplace culture. Sustainable psychosocial health relies on foundational trust, mutual respect, and open lines of communication between leadership and staff, Brand explained. The administration will encourage all employers across Nevis to facilitate ongoing structured dialogue between teams and management, implement fair workload distribution, expand flexible work arrangements where feasible, and embed inclusive decision-making processes that center the diverse perspectives of all workers.
As the governing body, Brand reaffirmed the Nevis Island Administration’s ongoing commitment to strengthening regulatory policies that protect worker psychosocial health, expanding access to resources for small and large businesses alike, and raising public awareness of overlooked psychosocial workplace risks. He noted that the government will continue to partner with businesses of all sizes to embed a culture that prioritizes mental health and empathetic, people-centered leadership.
Yet Brand emphasized that building healthy workplaces is not a responsibility that falls to government alone. Employers, workers, industry organizations, and local communities all have a critical role to play in creating safer, more supportive work environments across the island. The collective benefits of this work are impossible to ignore: when workers feel consistently supported in their wellbeing, they deliver stronger performance, collaborate more effectively, and help build more resilient organizations and communities across Nevis.
Brand added that the public sector will lead by example, demonstrating that investing in worker wellbeing and boosting productivity are not competing goals, but mutually reinforcing priorities. By walking this path publicly, the government can set a benchmark for private sector employers and strengthen public services, local business performance, and the overall long-term resilience of Nevis as a territory.
In closing, Brand called on all residents, employers, and workers across Nevis to join the collective effort to improve workplace psychosocial health. He stressed that a positive, supportive work environment is not a one-time policy achievement, but an ongoing commitment that requires consistent attention and collaboration. As the world marks this annual observance, Brand urged all stakeholders to pledge to protect the wellbeing of Nevis’ workforce and build workplaces where every person can grow and thrive. He closed by wishing all observers a meaningful World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2026, and extended a blessing for the continued prosperity of Nevis.
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Who Truly Owns and Runs the National Bus Company?
A sharp public controversy over the ownership and governance of Belize’s National Bus Company (NBC) is intensifying, as industry stakeholders, government officials, and law enforcement navigate competing claims, disrupted traffic, and conflicting narratives around fare pricing.
The conflict moved to a new level last week when the Belize Bus Association (BBA) leveled formal conflict of interest allegations against Belize’s Minister of Transport, Dr. Louis Zabaneh, tying his leadership of the transport sector to undisclosed influence over the state-linked bus operator. As the claims gained public traction, reporters pressed the minister for clarity during a Saturday press conference, asking pointedly: who ultimately owns and operates the National Bus Company?
Dr. Zabaneh offered a clear breakdown of the venture’s structure, framing it as an ongoing public-private partnership designed to expand reliable public transit across the country. He confirmed that as of current operations, the Government of Belize holds a 60% majority stake in NBC, while existing bus operators hold the remaining 40% equity, with potential future participation from institutional investors still pending. As the government’s representative on the project, the Minister of Transport appoints all government-nominated board members, a roster he outlined to confirm transparency: government seats are held by board chair Louge, Genelle Neal, former Senator Elena Smith, and prominent trade unionist Miriam Paz. Operator representatives include Sergio Chuc (owner of Westline), Jamie Williams (owner of James Bus Line), and a Codd, who represents the collective interests of small operators holding a 10% combined stake. The company’s chief executive officer is Vanzie, a former co-owner of Floria Bus Line.
The controversy extends far beyond ownership, however, spilling over into a bitter dispute over fare pricing that has divided the BBA and the Ministry of Transport. The BBA has pushed for widespread fare increases, arguing it must match the per-mile rates charged by NBC, which the association claims reach as high as 19 cents per mile. Dr. Zabaneh rejected that claim outright, pushing back on the BBA’s narrative and noting that any move by NBC to raise fares to the maximum allowed rate would directly contradict the government’s public commitment to shielding consumers from rising living costs.
“It would have been bordering on hypocrisy if the NBC had gone and increased their prices right up to the maximum when I as minister had been saying we do not want to increase prices,” he explained. “We want to ensure we mitigate the impact of higher prices on our people.” The minister confirmed that NBC’s highest actual fare is just 16 cents per mile, applied only on the western route. He also added a key clarification to address circulating rumors: the NBC receives no operating subsidies from the government, with all expenses covered by the company’s own revenue as a public-private operating entity. “It is just like if government was to send a check with any private business out there, something would be very wrong with that. It would be corruption,” he noted.
With negotiations over broad fare hikes stalled, the conversation around Belize’s public transit sector has now shifted to the longstanding demand for government fuel subsidies. Frustrated by the deadlock, bus operators blocked the busy Phillip Goldson Highway on the morning of the protest, bringing traffic to a complete standstill and forcing law enforcement to manage a tense public standoff.
Acting Superintendent Stacy Smith, a police staff officer, explained that law enforcement planners had monitored the planned protest for days and deployed a de-escalation focused strategy to balance the right to peaceful protest with the public’s right to free movement. “We recognize the issue that was raised affects all Belizeans and we want to afford persons who are disgruntled the ability to protest,” Smith said. “We have recognized the need to maintain law and order to ensure citizens are able to move and get to their respective location at their liberty.”
The police approach focused on avoiding violent confrontation, with uniformed officers deployed along the highway to maintain order and prevent clashes between protesters and other community members. According to Smith, the strategy succeeded: the protest concluded without major incidents, with only three people detained and issued minor violation tickets before being released. No injuries or significant property damage were reported.
This report is adapted from a transcript of a televised evening news broadcast, with all statements preserved for accuracy and context.
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Government assumes medical expenses after crash linked to presidential escort
A Monday morning traffic collision on the Maimón–Puerto Plata highway in the Dominican Republic has left three people injured, including two members of the presidential advance security detail and one civilian, according to the top commander of the country’s Presidential Security Corps (CUSEP).
Major General Jimmy Arias, head of CUSEP, shared updated details on the victims’ care arrangements following the incident, which took place as the advance team was en route to a planned official presidential event in Puerto Plata province. The crash occurred between one of the team’s official escort vehicles and a privately owned civilian automobile.
Following the collision, emergency responders quickly transported all three injured parties to medical facilities for urgent care. To access more specialized medical treatment unavailable locally, the two wounded soldiers were evacuated via air ambulance to Cedimat, a leading medical center located in the capital city of Santo Domingo. Arias confirmed that medical providers made the clinical decision to leave the injured civilian at the Bournigal Clinic in Puerto Plata for ongoing care, rather than transferring them to the capital.
In a statement highlighting the administration’s commitment to supporting the affected civilian, Arias noted that all of the civilian’s medical treatment costs will be fully covered by the Dominican government. This full funding arrangement was directly ordered by sitting Dominican President Luis Abinader, underscoring the presidential administration’s proactive response to the incident involving the official presidential motorcade advance team.
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Guyana to get new anti-money laundering law
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – April 27, 2026 – Guyana has launched a full overhaul of its 17-year-old Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regulatory framework, with plans to introduce a modern, consolidated bill ahead of a 2027 international compliance assessment, Attorney General Anil Nandlall announced Monday.
Nandlall made the announcement during the opening ceremony of a four-day justice sector training workshop hosted under the Partnership of the Caribbean and European Union on Justice (PACE) initiative, a program co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The event brought together senior judicial officers, including judges, magistrates, registrars and appellate justices, to build capacity for handling complex criminal cases.
The current AML/CFT law, first enacted in 2009 and patched with repeated amendments over more than a decade, has developed disjointed, inconsistent language that creates risks of misinterpretation in court, Nandlall explained. Beyond fixing structural issues, the new legislation will incorporate updated global standards that have emerged since the original bill passed. “Not that the one that we have is bad, but we have cut and paste over the years so many things that it reads in a disjuncted way, and it can cause problems in terms of interpretation. In addition to that, there have been changes that have been made in the world, and we have to incorporate that,” he told attendees.
A third-party consultant is already drafting the replacement bill, which will introduce a key procedural shift: a major transfer of the burden of proof to defendants accused of financial crimes. Nandlall acknowledged that the new law will include unusual, far-reaching provisions that may require judicial caution during implementation. He also noted the inherently broad and invasive nature of AML/CFT regulation, which includes powers of pre-conviction detention and asset forfeiture that can complicate traditional fairness frameworks. These requirements are not arbitrary, he added; they reflect mandatory international standards set by global regulatory bodies that monitor anti-financial crime frameworks worldwide.
Guyana is a member of three key global and regional anti-financial crime bodies: the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), the Paris-headquartered Financial Action Task Force (FATF) – the global standard-setting watchdog for money laundering and terrorist financing – and the Canada-based Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, which facilitates cross-border intelligence sharing to combat illicit financial activity.
The new legislation must be passed quickly, Nandlall emphasized, because Guyana will undergo a mandatory mutual evaluation by the CFATF next year, for which preparations are already underway. He noted that Guyana earned the highest compliance score among independent Caribbean nations in the CFATF’s last assessment, putting the country on strong footing, but a full regulatory update is still required to maintain that standing. “We are on good footing there, but we have to revamp the legislation and get a new one,” he said.
Monday’s event launched the PACE project training, which will cover a wide range of topics to modernize Guyana’s criminal justice system, including jury selection and orientation, pre-arraignment procedures, handling of complex criminal trials, no-case submissions, support protocols for vulnerable witnesses and defendants, pre-trial publicity management, and summation best practices. UNDP Resident Representative Katy Thompson noted that the training prioritizes both effective trial outcomes and protection of the fundamental rights of all parties involved in criminal proceedings.
Chancellor of the Judiciary Roxane George-Wiltshire added that the curriculum will also address emerging legal issues including pre-trial voir dire processes, the handling of DNA and digital evidence, the integration of artificial intelligence in judicial work, streamlined concurrent case tracks for appellate and high court judges, and an introduction to judge-alone trials – a procedural reform that Guyana is preparing to adopt. “Which is really timely, as it is my understanding that Guyana will be moving in this direction,” she said.
The training is designed to help the judiciary meet its constitutional mandate: delivering fair hearings within a reasonable timeframe before an independent, impartial tribunal, as outlined in Article 144 of Guyana’s Constitution. “The training will therefore further enhance our capacity and capability to better address the criminal cases that will come before us so as to ensure that which Article 144 of the Constitution of Guyana mandates,” George-Wiltshire added.
EU Ambassador to Guyana Luca Pierantoni highlighted the tangible progress the justice sector has already made through the PACE initiative, including expanded human resource capacity via new judicial appointments and the distribution of updated official law reports. “Certainly, we can see a justice system which is more responding to certain challenges,” he said.
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Police officers demonstrate and sow panic in Delmas
On Monday, April 27, a mass protest organized by the Haitian National Police Union (SPNH-17) brought major disruption to the Delmas district of Haiti, led by off-duty Haitian National Police (PNH) officers demanding the release of four detained colleagues.
The demonstration began in the early afternoon, with protesters blocking key transport routes across the area. In Delmas 33, officers parked vehicles across major roads to form barricades, while in Delmas 31, piles of burning tires were used to shut down multiple major arteries. Motorists were forced to divert from their routes, and the widespread unrest prompted most local businesses to shut their doors for the day amid safety fears.
The core demand of the protesting officers is the immediate release of Serge Édouard Muscardin, Oberde Joseph, Ricardo Anglade and Nexbertso Déjean, who were taken into custody on April 14 by the Departmental Directorate of West-1. Protesters have denounced the arrests as “illegal and arbitrary”, and are calling for full public clarification of the charges brought against the four officers.
In an official statement confirming the detentions, PNH leadership said the four officers have been placed in solitary confinement pending an investigation by the General Inspectorate. The investigation centers on allegations that the officers committed multiple violations of Haitian law and internal PNH regulations.
Police authorities emphasized that the detention process follows all formal internal institutional procedures, designed to uphold transparency, enforce discipline, and ensure the PNH operates effectively. Senior PNH command framed the measures as a necessary step to rebuild public trust in the national police force and improve the institution’s public image.
The statement also reiterated that the PNH is a strictly hierarchical and disciplined organization, bound by binding rules and principles that apply to every member without exception. All officers are required to adhere to these standards, including an explicit ban on using institutional equipment and resources to commit criminal acts in public that disrupt public order.
As the protest unfolded, the PNH General Directorate issued an appeal for calm among the general public, and called on all officers not participating in the unrest to remain at their assigned posts to continue providing normal security services to communities.
The PNH further clarified that it only formally recognizes uniformed, properly registered and identified officers as acting on behalf of the institution. Any person wearing a balaclava, carrying a weapon, and creating public disorder will be treated as a violator and subject to full legal penalties, the statement added.
Protesters have issued an ultimatum to PNH leadership, threatening to extend the shutdown across the entire Haitian capital on Tuesday, April 28 if their demand for the release of the four detained officers is not met.
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Spanish Foreign Minister arrives in Dominican Republic for official visit
Diplomatic activity kicked off in Santo Domingo on Monday, as Dominican Republic officials formally welcomed Spain’s top diplomat to the country for a working official visit. Deputy Minister of Bilateral Foreign Policy Francisco A. Caraballo extended the greeting on behalf of Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez, opening the high-profile bilateral engagement.
The welcome ceremony included senior diplomatic representatives from both nations: Dominican Ambassador to Spain Tony Raful and Lorea Arribalzaga, Spain’s sitting ambassador to the Dominican Republic, joined the opening proceedings alongside the two lead officials.
Over the course of the visit, Dominican Foreign Minister Álvarez and visiting Spanish Foreign Minister Albares are set to convene a structured working meeting to deliberate on shared priorities. After their closed-door talks, the pair will appear at a joint press conference to outline key takeaways and outcomes from their discussions to the public.
This official trip was planned as a follow-up to the bilateral meeting the two foreign ministers held in Madrid back in May 2025. Its core objective is to move forward on the mutual commitments the two leaders agreed to during that earlier gathering.
The Dominican Republic and Spain have cultivated and maintained long-standing, robust diplomatic relations spanning decades. Both countries sustain ongoing cooperation across a wide range of sectors aligned with their mutual interests, supported by a consistent framework of institutional dialogue.
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Abinader ranks fourth in Latin American presidential approval ranking
A new public opinion survey from leading Latin American research firm CB Consultora Opinión Pública has placed Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader among the most popular chief executives across the region, holding the fourth spot in the latest regional approval rankings.
Released for the start of Abinader’s second term in office, the poll recorded a 57.3% overall approval rating for the Dominican leader, with 39.6% of respondents indicating they disapproved of his performance. This strong showing cements his position as one of the most favorably viewed incumbent presidents in Latin America.
Topping the 2026 regional ranking is El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, who claimed the number one position with an impressive 70.1% approval rating. Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum followed close behind in second place, just three-tenths of a percentage point behind Bukele at 69.8%. Costa Rica’s Rodrigo Chaves took third place with a 59.5% approval rating, leaving Abinader to slot into fourth, just ahead of Bolivia’s Rodrigo Paz, who recorded a 52.9% approval score.
A range of regional leaders landed in the middle of the approval table. Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Chile’s José Antonio Kast, and Paraguay’s Santiago Peña all fell within this mid-tier grouping. Toward the lower end of the rankings were Colombian President Gustavo Petro, Guatemala’s Bernardo Arévalo, Argentina’s Javier Milei, and Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa, all of whom posted below-average approval numbers. Bringing up the bottom of the 18-country ranking were Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez and Peru’s interim president José María Balcázar.
The survey, fielded between April 13 and 18 of 2026, collected responses from more than 40,000 people across all 18 surveyed Latin American nations. Researchers designed the study to meet rigorous statistical standards, achieving a 95% confidence level and a narrow margin of error ranging between just ±1.9% and 2.2% across the sample.
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Massive probe launched into threat against CANU chief
Nearly a quarter-century after one of Guyana’s top anti-drug officials was assassinated in cold blood, the current head of the country’s lead narcotics enforcement agency is facing a public death threat that has triggered an urgent, large-scale probe by national security authorities.
James Singh, who leads the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), was targeted in a threatening video circulated on social media, Guyana’s Home Affairs Ministry confirmed in an official statement released Monday. The video depicts a hooded individual holding what appears to be a loaded handgun pointed directly at a printed image of Singh.
All threats targeting public servants executing their official duties are classified as severe criminal offenses under Guyanese law, the ministry emphasized. In response, multiple law enforcement agencies have launched an active investigation to trace the source of the video, verify its authenticity, and uncover the intentions of those behind it. Security measures have also been ramped up to protect Singh and other at-risk personnel, the statement added.
Officials noted the threat comes amid a major intensification of national anti-narcotics operations across Guyana. In recent months, CANU-led intelligence-driven operations have pulled 371 kilograms of illegal narcotics off the streets and dismantled multiple cross-border drug trafficking networks. Just two years ago, CANU agents working alongside Guyanese military personnel uncovered a massive 4.4-tonne cache of cocaine hidden in underground bunkers near an unapproved airstrip in Matthews Ridge, located in the country’s North West District. The ministry stressed that this operational context does not predetermine the outcome of the ongoing investigation into the threat.
The incident evokes dark memories of a 2002 assassination that still looms over Guyana’s anti-drug efforts. In August of that year, Vibert Inniss, then deputy head of CANU, was shot multiple times and killed in his car while stopped on the Buxton Public Road to buy newspapers. His murder came just six months after a violent prison break that gave rise to heavily armed criminal gangs with ties to drug trafficking. Senior U.S. law enforcement representatives were among the attendees at Inniss’s funeral, a testament to the global significance of his anti-narcotics work.
The Guyanese government has issued a firm rebuke of the intimidation attempt, making clear that threats against law enforcement will not weaken the country’s commitment to rooting out organized crime. “Intimidation will not succeed,” the government stated, adding that anyone who threatens officials upholding public safety will face the full weight of the law.
The Home Affairs Ministry reaffirmed that the national campaign to dismantle both domestic and transnational organized criminal networks will continue unimpeded, pursued with steady resolve, inter-agency coordination, and unwavering focus. “No individual or group will be allowed to undermine the rule of law or threaten those tasked with upholding it,” the ministry said.