Edition of October 22, 2026
Rebel Bites
Theresa Ejiro EfiakpovworeMulti-vehicle crash on the Litoral highway in Zacatecoluca leaves three injured
A route 171 bus, a semi-truck, a truck and a pickup collided on Thursday, October 22, at kilometer 62 of the Litoral highway in Zacatecoluca, La Paz Este. According to Comandos de Salvamento, three people were injured: one was taken to the Santa Teresa National Hospital and two to an ISSS (social security) facility. According to the PNC, the traffic inspection found the cause was inappropriate speed and identified the semi-truck driver, a 48-year-old man with seven traffic violations, three of them for speeding, as responsible. The PNC said he will be referred to court for negligent injuries. Vice Ministry of Transport tow trucks moved the vehicles and firefighters cleaned up spilled fuel and oil.
Fire destroys three buses and damages a fourth in Santa Ana
A fire hit four buses at the far end of 25th West Street in Santa Ana on Wednesday night, October 21. According to the Fire Department, three buses were completely destroyed and one was partly damaged. Firefighters brought the emergency under control, kept the flames from reaching other vehicles and kept cooling the buses so the fire would not flare up again. No injuries were reported, and authorities have not said what caused the fire.
France wins the team title at the World Longboard Championship in El Sunzal; Peru's Piccolo Clemente takes men's gold
The Surf City El Salvador ISA World Longboard Championship 2026 ended on Thursday, October 22, at El Sunzal beach in La Libertad. France won the team gold medal and the United States took silver. In the men's division, 44-year-old Peruvian Piccolo Clemente won the final ahead of American Tony Silvagni, earning his second ISA world title. Alice Lemoigne won the women's division. The outlets we checked disagree on which country finished third in the team ranking, so we left it out.
ECLAC raises its 2026 growth forecast for El Salvador to 4.5%
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC, CEPAL in Spanish) raised its 2026 growth forecast for El Salvador's economy to 4.5%, up from the 3.9% it estimated in August, La Prensa Gráfica and ContraPunto reported. At that figure, El Salvador shares the 4.5% forecast with Panama. For 2027, ECLAC expects the country's growth to ease to 4.1%. In the region, it forecasts 4.1% for Guatemala, 3.7% for Nicaragua and 3.5% for Costa Rica and Honduras. These are forecasts, not results.
ANDA opens a water-quality lab for the eastern region
The National Water and Sewer Administration (ANDA) opened the Eastern Region Water Quality Laboratory on Thursday, October 22. It joins the labs the agency already runs in the San Salvador metro area and in the west of the country, and will be used to test drinking water and wastewater in the region. According to the presidential press office, the lab will be able to run more than 1,500 analyses a year. The World Bank's country manager for El Salvador, Diletta Doretti, attended the opening and said the eastern region will gain "analytical autonomy" (our translation).
Semi-trucks and trailers must pass vehicle inspection starting November 1
According to the Vice Ministry of Transport (VMT), starting November 1 articulated cargo vehicles, meaning a tractor unit plus trailer, must pass the mandatory technical vehicle inspection. Truckers can book an appointment online on the VMT website. The measure adds to the mandatory inspection for dump trucks of 3.01 tons and up, in force since October 5, according to Diario La Página. The VMT says the goal is to broaden safety checks on cargo and public transport vehicles.
CONAMYPE says 4,000 of 8,000 supported businesses will get non-repayable capital
The head of the National Commission for Micro and Small Enterprise (CONAMYPE), Paul Steiner, said one of the agency's programs will support 8,000 businesses and that half of them, 4,000, will receive non-repayable capital to launch new business plans or speed up existing ones. According to Infobae, which reported his remarks, the program is funded with a World Bank loan and includes technical assistance and training before participants present their plans to an evaluation panel. These are CONAMYPE's own figures.
Police report zero homicides on Wednesday, October 21
According to the police, Wednesday, October 21 ended with no homicides nationwide. The presidential press office repeated the figure and credited the government's security work. These are government figures; no independent count has been published for the date.
Assembly approves the tax amnesty, with a deadline of December 11
The Legislative Assembly approved the new tax amnesty on Wednesday, October 21, with 60 votes, El Diario de Hoy and Diario Digital Cronio reported. The law lets people and businesses catch up on tax and customs debts without paying certain interest, surcharges and late-payment fines, and it also covers surcharges on traffic fines and some other administrative penalties. The tax owed and the original amount of traffic fines must still be paid, and municipal fines are excluded. The deadline to apply is December 11, 2026. Days earlier, the Finance Committee had issued a favorable report on the Finance Ministry's proposal.
Haiti's government says freeing the Salvadoran soldiers is its priority
The Haitian prime minister's office said in a statement on Wednesday, October 21, that freeing the kidnapped Salvadoran soldiers is an "absolute priority" (our translation), according to Infobae and the Dominican newspaper Hoy. The prime minister met with the authorities in charge to review the actions under way and to strengthen, together with the international anti-gang force, the operations against the armed groups. The Haitian government said it is mobilizing the resources needed to secure their release. The Salvadorans are part of the international force, and contact with them was lost after an ambush on Sunday, October 18, near Port-au-Prince.
Lanes toward the monument on Los Próceres reopen as power is restored
According to the presidential press office, on Wednesday night the electricity distributor worked on Los Próceres Boulevard to restore service after several poles collapsed when a cargo truck hit them. Structures had to be replaced and 23,000-volt primary line cables installed, and Transport Vice Ministry staff temporarily closed the lanes to make the work easier. Later, the press office said the lanes toward the Hermano Bienvenido a Casa monument had reopened. According to the same source, the company finished installing the primary line and on Thursday will keep connecting the affected businesses to restore their service.
Woman trapped by a sudden rise of the Metayate River in Chalatenango is rescued alive
A woman was trapped on Wednesday by a sudden rise of the Metayate River while washing clothes in the hamlet of Chanzunte, in the Nueva Concepción district of Chalatenango Centro, Diario La Página and Infobae reported. To avoid being swept away by the current, she held on to trees and brush until rescuers reached her. The Fire Department and Cruz Verde Salvadoreña took part in the rescue, along with other Civil Protection institutions. According to Cruz Verde, cited by Infobae, she was taken by ambulance to the Nueva Concepción hospital.
Salvadoran students win three silvers and a bronze at the Ibero-American Chemistry Olympiad
The four students on El Salvador's team won three silver medals and one bronze at the 30th Ibero-American Chemistry Olympiad, held October 13 to 19 in Fortaleza, Brazil, El Diario de Hoy and Infobae reported. The competition brought together teams from 19 countries and included theory and lab tests. The results were announced by El Salvador's Young Talent Program, which trains the students through the University of El Salvador.
Firpo and Saprissa draw 0-0 in San Salvador, and the series will be decided in Costa Rica
Luis Ángel Firpo and Deportivo Saprissa drew 0-0 on Wednesday at the Jorge "Mágico" González stadium in the first leg of the Concacaf Central American Cup play-in, El Diario de Hoy and Costa Rican outlet CR Hoy reported. Firpo had several chances, but Saprissa goalkeeper Abraham Madriz kept them out, according to CR Hoy. The second leg will be played at Saprissa's stadium in Costa Rica, with a place in the Concacaf Champions Cup at stake. The police and the armed forces reported preventive searches and a presence around the stadium during the match.
PNC: Shows National Public Security Academy students patrolling San Salvador's Historic Center on bicycles
The police show National Public Security Academy students patrolling San Salvador's Historic Center on bicycles.
Press Secretariat: Quotes Surf City director Alejo Campos, who says 37 countries took part in the World Longboard Championship and that it awards spots for the Pan American Games
The press office quotes Surf City director Alejo Campos, who says 37 countries took part in the World Longboard Championship and that it awards spots for the Pan American Games.
Press Secretariat: Promotes the lineup of the open-air cinema at the Monseñor Romero boulevard plaza and the Nuevo Cuscatlán park
The government promotes the lineup of the open-air cinema at the Monseñor Romero boulevard plaza and the Nuevo Cuscatlán park.
Press Secretariat: Reminds women aged 22 and older that the free HPV vaccine is still available and that they can get the second dose at their local health unit
The government reminds women aged 22 and older that the free HPV vaccine is still available and that they can get the second dose at their local health unit.
PNC: Posts photos from farming areas in La Paz, San Miguel and Ahuachapán and credit the Territorial Control Plan for families no longer suffering livestock theft
The police post photos from farming areas in La Paz, San Miguel and Ahuachapán and credit the Territorial Control Plan for families no longer suffering livestock theft.
Press Secretariat: Tourism Minister Morena Valdez says Guatemalan visitors came to the beaches of La Libertad over the last long weekend
Tourism Minister Morena Valdez says Guatemalan visitors came to the beaches of La Libertad over the last long weekend.
PNC: Shows educational talks for young children in Morazán
The police show educational talks for young children in Morazán.
Armed Forces: Shows the Navy providing support during the World Longboard Championship at El Sunzal beach
The armed forces show the Navy providing support during the World Longboard Championship at El Sunzal beach.
Press Secretariat: From November 1, semi-trucks and trailers must pass the mandatory vehicle inspection
The government announces that from November 1, semi-trucks and trailers must pass the mandatory vehicle inspection.
Press Secretariat: Quotes CONAMYPE head Paul Steiner: of 8,000 businesses supported, 4,000 will receive non-repayable capital
The press office quotes CONAMYPE head Paul Steiner: of 8,000 businesses supported, 4,000 will receive non-repayable capital.
Press Secretariat: Says ANDA's new eastern water-quality lab will be able to run more than 1,500 analyses a year
The press office says ANDA's new eastern water-quality lab will be able to run more than 1,500 analyses a year.
PNC: Joined an early-childhood science week at the Ignacio Ellacuría school in Ciudad Arce
The police joined an early-childhood science week at the Ignacio Ellacuría school in Ciudad Arce.
PNC: Posts photos of their deployments in Ahuachapán, San Miguel, San Salvador and Chalatenango
The police post photos of their deployments in Ahuachapán, San Miguel, San Salvador and Chalatenango.
Press Secretariat: Repeats the police report of zero homicides on October 21 and credits the government's security work
The press office repeats the police report of zero homicides on October 21 and credits the government's security work.
PNC: Says Wednesday, October 21 ended with no homicides in the country
The police say Wednesday, October 21 ended with no homicides in the country.
Press Secretariat: Reports overnight work by the power company on Los Próceres to restore electricity after the truck crash
The press office reports overnight work by the power company on Los Próceres to restore electricity after the truck crash.
PNC: Shows their security deployment at the Óscar Quiteño stadium in Santa Ana during the FAS vs
The police show their security deployment at the Óscar Quiteño stadium in Santa Ana during the FAS vs. Metapán match.
Press Secretariat: Promotes a virtual CONAMYPE workshop on building digital catalogs with artificial intelligence, on October 30
The press office promotes a virtual CONAMYPE workshop on building digital catalogs with artificial intelligence, on October 30.
PNC: Reports preventive searches of fans at the entrances of the Mágico González stadium for Firpo vs
The police report preventive searches of fans at the entrances of the Mágico González stadium for Firpo vs. Saprissa.
Armed Forces: Says they supported the police with a presence around the Mágico González stadium before Firpo vs
The armed forces say they supported the police with a presence around the Mágico González stadium before Firpo vs. Saprissa.
PNC: Shares photos of the sunset at El Tunco beach and highlight their presence in the tourist area
The police share photos of the sunset at El Tunco beach and highlight their presence in the tourist area.