
The following lists events that happened during
2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
in
Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
:
Belize
Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...
,
Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...
,
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
,
Guatemala
Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
,
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
,
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
, and
Panama
Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
.
The combined population of Central America is estimated at 44.53 million (2016).
Incumbents
Belize
Britain granted
British Honduras
British Honduras was a Crown colony on the east coast of Central America — specifically located on the southern edge of the Yucatan Peninsula from 1783 to 1964, then a self-governing colony — renamed Belize from June 1973 self-government in 1964; on June 1, 1973, it was renamed
Belize
Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...
. Independence was achieved on September 21, 1981. The capital is
Belmopan
Belmopan () is the capital city of Belize. Its population in 2010 was 16,451. Belmopan is the smallest capital city in the continental Americas (by population) and the third-largest settlement in Belize, behind Belize City and San Ignacio. Fou ...
.
*Chief of state: Queen
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
(since 6 February 1952)
[The CIA World Fact Book: Belize]
Retrieved Feb 9, 2020
*Represented by
Governor-General
Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...
Sir
Colville Young
Sir Colville Norbert Young (born 20 November 1932) is a Belizean politician who served as the second governor-general of Belize. He is also a patron of the Scout Association of Belize. He was appointed as the Governor-General in 1993, taking ...
(since 17 November 1993)
*Head of Government:
Prime Minister
A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
**
Dean Barrow
Dean Oliver Barrow, SC PC (born March 2, 1951) is a politician from Belize who served as the fourth prime minister of Belize from 2008 until 2020 and as leader of Belize's United Democratic Party.
An attorney by profession, Barrow served a ...
(8 February 2008 – 12 November 2020)
**
Johnny Briceno (starting 12 November 2020)
*Deputy Prime Minister
Patrick Faber (since 7 June 2016)
Costa Rica
Authorities declared the independence of Central America on September 15, 1821, becoming part of the
First Mexican Empire
The Mexican Empire (, ) was a constitutional monarchy and the first independent government of Mexico. It was also the only former viceroyalty of the Spanish Empire to establish a monarchy after gaining independence. The empire existed from 18 ...
. From 1823 to 1838 it was part of the
Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America (), initially known as the United Provinces of Central America (), was a sovereign state in Central America that existed between 1823 and 1839/1841. The republic was composed of five states (Costa Rica ...
; in 1838 it became the
Free State of Costa Rica, which gave way to the
Republic of Costa Rica in 1848. The capital is
San José.
*Chief of state and Head of Government:
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
Carlos Alvarado Quesada
Carlos Andrés Alvarado Quesada (; born 14 January 1980) is a Costa Rican politician, writer, journalist, and political scientist who served as the 48th president of Costa Rica from 8 May 2018 to 8 May 2022. A member of the Citizens' Action Pa ...
(since 8 May 2018)
[The CIA World Fact Book: Costa Rica]
Retrieved Feb 9, 2020
**First
Vice President
A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
Epsy Campbell Barr (since 8 May 2018)
**Second Vice President
Marvin Rodríguez Cordero (since 8 May 2018)
El Salvador
In 1821 El Salvador became part of the First Mexican Empire, which gave way to the Federal Republic of Central America in 1823. That lasted until 1841. El Salvador was independent until it joined the
Greater Republic of Central America
The Greater Republic of Central America (Spanish: ''República Mayor de Centroamérica''), later the United States of Central America (Spanish: ''Estados Unidos de Centroamérica''), originally planned to be known as the Republic of Central Ame ...
from 1896 to 1898 when it became independent once again. The capital of the
Republic of El Salvador is
San Salvador
San Salvador () is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its San Salvador Department, eponymous department. It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and fin ...
.
*Chief of state and Head of Government:
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
Nayib Bukele Ortez (since 1 June 2019)
[The CIA World Fact Book: El Salvador]
Retrieved Feb 9, 2020
**Vice President
Felix Augusto Antonio Ulloa Garay (since 1 June 2019)
Guatemala
The
Captaincy General of Guatemala
The Captaincy General of Guatemala (), also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala (), was an administrative division of the Spanish Empire, under the viceroyalty of New Spain in Central America, including present-day Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras ...
declared independence from Spain on September 15, 1821, when it was absorbed by the Mexican Empire. From 1823 to 1841it was part of the Federal Republic of Central America. On March 21, 1847, Guatemala declared itself an independent republic. The capital of the
Republic of Guatemala is
Guatemala City
Guatemala City (, also known colloquially by the nickname Guate), is the Capital city, national capital and largest city of the Guatemala, Republic of Guatemala. It is also the Municipalities of Guatemala, municipal capital of the Guatemala Depa ...
.
*Chief of state and Head of government:
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
**
Jimmy Morales
James Ernesto Morales Cabrera (; born 18 March 1969) is a Guatemalan politician, actor, and comedian who served as the 50th president of Guatemala from 2016 to 2020.
Early and personal life
Morales was born in Guatemala City to José Everar ...
(until January 14, 2020)
**
Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla (January 14, 2020—present)
[CIA Fact Book: Central America: Guatemala]
Retrieved Jan 9, 2020
*
Vice-President
A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
**
Jafeth Cabrera
Ernesto Jafeth Cabrera Franco (Guatemala City, 28 November 1948) is a Guatemalan politician who served as Vice President of Guatemala from 2016 to 2020 under the government of Jimmy Morales.
Early life and career
Cabrera studied at the Universi ...
(until January 14, 2020)
**
César Guillermo Castillo Reyes (January 14, 2020—present)
Honduras
Honduras gained independence from Spain in 1821 and was a part of the Mexican Empire until 1823, when it became part of the Federal Republic of Central America. The
Republic of Honduras was established 1838. Its capital is
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa ( )—formally Tegucigalpa, Municipality of the Central District ( or ''Tegucigalpa, M.D.C.''), and colloquially referred to as ''Tegus'' or ''Teguz''—is the capital and largest city of Honduras along with its sister city, Comaya ...
.
*Chief of state and Head of Government:
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
Juan Orlando Hernandez Alvarado (since 27 January 2014)
[The CIA World Fact Book: Honduras]
Retrieved Feb 9, 2020
**
Vice Presidents
A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice ...
: Ricardo Alvarez, Olga Alvarado, Maria Rivera (since 26 January 2018)
Nicaragua
The Captaincy General of Guatemala was dissolved in September 1821, and Nicaragua became part of the First Mexican Empire. In 1823, Nicaragua joined the newly formed the
United Provinces of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America (), initially known as the United Provinces of Central America (), was a sovereign state in Central America that existed between 1823 and 1839/1841. The republic was composed of five states (Costa Rica ...
, (later the Federal Republic of Central America). Nicaragua finally became an independent republic in 1838. The capital of
the Republic of Nicaragua is
Managua
Managua () is the capital city, capital and largest city of Nicaragua, and one of the List of largest cities in Central America, largest cities in Central America. Located on the shores of Lake Managua, the city had an estimated population of 1, ...
.
*Chief of state and Head of government:
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
Daniel Ortega
José Daniel Ortega Saavedra (; ; born 11 November 1945) is a Nicaraguan politician and dictator who has been the president of Nicaragua, co-president of Nicaragua since 18 February 2025, alongside his wife Rosario Murillo. He was the 54th an ...
(since 10 January 2007)
[The CIA World Fact Book: Nicaragua]
Retrieved Feb 9, 2020
**Vice President
Rosario Murillo Zambrana (since 10 January 2017)
Panama
The
Independence of Panama from Spain was accomplished through a bloodless revolt between in November 1821 after which time it joined
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia (, "Great Colombia"), also known as Greater Colombia and officially the Republic of Colombia (Spanish language, Spanish: ''República de Colombia''), was a state that encompassed much of northern South America and parts of Central ...
. Panama
separated from Colombia on November 3, 1903, and signed the
a treaty establishing the
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone (), also known as just the Canal Zone, was a International zone#Concessions, concession of the United States located in the Isthmus of Panama that existed from 1903 to 1979. It consisted of the Panama Canal and an area gene ...
. The Canal Zone was abolished in 1979; the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...
itself remained under joint U.S.–Panamanian control until 1999.
Panama City
Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...
is the capital of
the Republic of Panama.
*Chief of state and Head of Government:
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
Laurentino "Nito" Cortizo Cohen (since 1 July 2019)
[The CIA World Fact Book: Panama]
Retrieved Feb 9, 2020
**Vice President Jose Gabriel Carrizo Jaen (since 1 July 2019)
Monthly events
January
*January 1 –
New Year's Day
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is the first day of the calendar year, January 1, 1 January. Most solar calendars, such as the Gregorian and Julian calendars, begin the year regularly at or near the December solstice, northern winter ...
*January 7 – The
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...
watershed is at its fifth driest in 70 years, according to the
Panama Canal Authority
The Panama Canal Authority (; ACP) is the agency of the government of Panama responsible for the operation and management of the Panama Canal. The ACP took over the administration of the canal from the Panama Canal Commission, the joint US–Pa ...
.
*January 9
**
Martyrs' Day (Panama)
Martyrs' Day () is a Panamanian day of national mourning which commemorates the January 9, 1964 anti-American riots over sovereignty of the Panama Canal Zone. The riot started after a Panamanian flag was torn and students were killed during a c ...
**Federal marshalls in
Carson City
Carson City, officially the Carson City Consolidated Municipality, is an independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,639, making it the 6th most populous city in the state. The m ...
, United States, arrest Salvadoran Rene Antonio “Scrapy” Hernandez-Mejia, whom they say was part of a terrorist organization. They intend to deport him back to El Salvador.
*January 14 – New President Alejandro Giammattei of
Guatemala
Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
takes office after a five-hour delay due to protests. Outgoing president Morales is pelted with eggs.
*January 16
**Guatemala breaks off diplomatic relations with
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
.
**Arrest warrants on corruption charges are issued for eight politicians in Guatemala; former congresswoman Aracely Chavarria and former mayor Angel Ren of
Chiché, Guatemala, are arrested.
*January 18
**The
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and is responsible for secu ...
tries to deport a sick
Honduran woman and her two sick children, ages six and one, to Guatemala.
**Mexico stops thousands of Honduran immigrants on the border with Guatemala.
*January 20: Thousands of Honduran migrants and asylum-seekers battle with
Mexican National Guard and try to force their way across the
Suchiate River near
Ayutla, San Marcos
Ayutla () is a municipality in the San Marcos Department of Guatemala. It is situated along the Suchiate River natural border with Mexico in the southern part of the department. The municipality center is Ciudad Tecún Umán. There is a combine ...
, Guatemala.
**The Guatemala government seizes two farms belonging to former Minister of Communications, Infrastructure, and Housing, Alejandro Sinibaldi.
*January 22 – Guatemala is seen as the fifth most corrupt country in the world.
*January 24 – Calm returns to the Mexico-Guatemala border after 800 Honduran immigrants were arrested on January 23.
*January 27: Guatemalan President Giammattei offers
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
an opportunity to build and operate a port in Guatemalan waters in the Atlantic.
*January 31
**Eighty armed individuals attack the indigenous community of Mayagna Sauni, Nicaragua, located 400 kilometers from Managua, burning houses while leaving six dead and ten missing.
**Photographer Caroline Power discovers a "blanket" of plastic measuring near
Roatán
Roatán () is an island in the Caribbean, about off the northern coast of Honduras. The largest of the Bay Islands Department, Bay Islands of Honduras, it is located between the islands of Utila and Guanaja. It is approximately long, and le ...
Island, Honduras. It is believed to have been washed from the
Motagua River
The Motagua River () is a river in Guatemala. It rises in the Western Highlands of Guatemala and runs in an easterly direction to the Gulf of Honduras. The Motagua River basin covers an area of and is the largest in Guatemala.
The Motagua Riv ...
during heavy rains in Guatemala.
February
*February 1 – The
United States deported a record 4,171 Guatemalans (3,000 men, 692 women, 479 minors), a 2.27% increase over 2019, during the month of January, according to the ''Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración'' (Guatemalan Institute of Migration, IGM).
*February 2
**
2020 Costa Rican municipal elections
***
2020 San José mayoral election won by
Johnny Araya Monge
**Young people and adults denounce torture and other human rights violations by the Nicaraguan paramilitary groups. At least six cases of torture are documented.
*February 3
**
Our Lady of Suyapa, Honduras
**Convicted prisoner Gilberto Ventura Ceballos escapes from
La Joyita Prison in
Pacora, Panama for the second time. The government has offered a US$50,000 reward for his recapture.
*February 4
**200,000 people participate in an earthquake drill held on the 44th anniversary of the
1976 Guatemala earthquake
The 1976 Guatemala earthquake struck on February 4 at with a moment magnitude of 7.5. The shock was centered on the Motagua Fault, about 160 km northeast of Guatemala City at a depth of near the town of Los Amates in the department of ...
in which 22,000 people died.
**A Costa Rican judge nullifies a
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
between two women and fires the
Civil law notary
Civil-law notaries, or Latin notaries, are lawyers of contentious jurisdiction, noncontentious private law, private civil law (legal system), civil law who draft, take, and record legal instruments for private parties, provide legal advice and gi ...
who performed the marriage in 2015.
**Oscar Dávila, 44, is appointed to head the investigations into government corruption in Guatemala.
*February 5
**Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo fires Security Minister Rolando Mirones and Government Minister Carlos Romero after the February 3 prison escape of Gilberto Ventura Ceballos.
**The government of El Salvador says it is not ready to accept asylum-seekers and will not accept them from the United States.
*February 6 – In a visit to the
Mexican Senate, the
President of Guatemala
The president of Guatemala (), officially titled President of the Republic of Guatemala (), is the head of state and head of government of Guatemala, elected to a single four-year term. The position of President was created in 1839.
Selectio ...
,
Alejandro Giammattei suggests the two countries construct ‘’Muros de Prosperidad’’ ("Prosperity Walls") in the form of an investment bank in the Mexican states of
Chiapas
Chiapas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas, is one of the states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. It comprises Municipalities of Chiapas, 124 municipalities and its capital and large ...
and
Tabasco
Tabasco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tabasco, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Tabasco, 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa.
It i ...
and the Guatemalan departments of
San Marcos,
Quiché, and
Huehuetenango
Huehuetenango () is a city and municipality in the highlands of western Guatemala. It is also the capital of the department of Huehuetenango. The city is situated from Guatemala City, and is the last departmental capital on the Pan-American Hi ...
in order to stem migration.
*February 7
**The government of
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
lifts its 500-day blockade of paper and ink against ''
La Prensa,''
Managua's oldest newspaper.
**The
provides US$4.1 million for Nicaraguan and
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
n asylum seekers in
Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...
.
**The United States offers thousands of
H-2B visas to temporary agricultural workers from Guatemala and El Salvador.
**
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...
reports that at least 138 Salvadoran migrants who have been repatriated from the United States have been killed.
*February 8
**According to the
Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), Honduras was the second-most country affected by climate change. The town of
Cedeño loses 122 centimeters (48”) of land to the sea every year. Like Honduras, certain Caribbean islands of
Panama
Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
appear in red on maps published by the UN's
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
**The government of El Salvador tries to recover three million plastic bottles in a two-day recycling program.
*February 9
**Municipal elections in Costa Rica: Only 9 of 82 candidates for mayor are women, according to the ‘’Instituto Nacional de las Mujeres’’ (“National Institute of Women”), (INAMU).
**Legislators and the executive in El Salvador dispute a US$109 million loan earmarked for the police and military.
**The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) requests that foreigners be allowed to work in the country in order to promote economic development.
*February 11 – Nicaragua creates four new fuel companies in response to U.S. sanctions against the state-owned ''Albanisa'' because of alleged money laundering by members of the Daniel Ortega family.
*February 12 – Lawmakers in Guatemala pass a controversial law giving the president the authority to restrict non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that engage in "disruptive" activities.
*February 13 – A new metro line will go under the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...
to reach western suburbs of
Panama City
Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...
at a cost of US$2.5 billion. It is part of a $4 billion infrastructure project including a bridge over the canal.
*February 14
**Three police officers are killed in a shootout attempt to free
MS-13
Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, is an international criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s. Originally, the gang was set up to protect Salvadoran immigrants from other gangs in the Los Angeles area ...
leader Alexander Mendoza "El Porky" in
El Progreso
El Progreso () is a city, with a population of 120,600 (2023 calculation), and a municipality located in the Honduran Departments of Honduras, department of Yoro (department), Yoro.
Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport of San Pedro Su ...
,
Yoro Department
Yoro is one of the 18 departments into which Honduras is divided. The department contains rich agricultural lands, concentrated mainly on the valley of the Aguan River and the Sula Valley, on opposite ends. The departmental capital is Yoro. The de ...
, Honduras. Mendoza escaped.
**Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele surrounds the Legislative Palace in
San Salvador
San Salvador () is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its San Salvador Department, eponymous department. It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and fin ...
with followers, police, and army snipers after God tells him the legislature must approve a $109 million loan from the United States.
*February 15 – Authorities in Costa Rica seize a record five tons of cocaine worth $130 million in the port of
Limón
Limón (), also known as Puerto Limón, is the capital city of both the province and canton of the same name. One of Costa Rica's seven "middle cities" (i.e., main cities outside of San José's Greater Metropolitan Area), Limón has a populat ...
.
*February 18 – A campaign to reunite families separated by kidnapping and/or irregular adoption during the
Guatemalan Civil War
The Guatemalan Civil War was fought from 1960 to 1996 between the government of Guatemala and various Left-wing politics, leftist rebel groups. The Guatemalan government forces committed Guatemalan genocide, genocide against the Maya population o ...
of 1960-96 begins.
*February 24
**
Thelma Aldana, the former chief prosecutor known for fighting corruption, is granted asylum in the United States after being charged with embezzlement in Guatemala.
**New rules go into effect that make immigration to the United States more difficult.
*February 28 – El Salvador's president vetoes a reconciliation law that he says would allow criminals to get away with crimes against humanity during the
Salvadoran Civil War
The Salvadoran Civil War () was a twelve-year civil war in El Salvador that was fought between the government of El Salvador, backed by the United States, and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), a coalition of left-wing guer ...
*February 29 – An appeals court in San Francisco rules against the U.S. government's "stay in Mexico" policy for asylum seekers, although the ruling is stayed until March 2.
March
*March 6 – The first case of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
in Central America is reported in
Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...
. On March 13 the number of confirmed cases in the country had risen to 26.
*March 8 –
International Women's Day
International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March, commemorating women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights movement. International Women's Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive righ ...
*March 9
**
Baron Bliss Day, Belize
**1,346,991 cases of
dengue fever
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease caused by dengue virus, prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas. Asymptomatic infections are uncommon, mild cases happen frequently; if symptoms appear, they typically begin 3 to 14 days after i ...
have been reported in Latin America in the last 13 months. The countries with the highest rates are Nicaragua (2,271 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), Belize (1,021), Honduras (995.5), and El Salvador (375).
*March 13
**Leaders of
Belize
Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...
, Costa Rica,
Guatemala
Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
,
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
, Nicaragua,
Panama
Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
, and the Dominican Republic signed an agreement for dealing with the coronavirus
pandemic
A pandemic ( ) is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has a sudden increase in cases and spreads across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. Widespread endemic (epi ...
. It includes canceling the Costa Rican film festival.
**The
Supreme Court of Honduras
The Supreme Court of Honduras (; CSJ) is the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court of Honduras. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in Honduras.
Structure, power, and duties
There are four chambers — civil, criminal, const ...
overturns a 58-year prison sentence against former first lady
Rosa Elena Bonilla and orders a new trial on a charge of embezzling about $600,000 in government money between 2010 and 2014.
*March 14 – Panama repatriates 1,504 Colombian tourists from the cruise ship ''Monarch.'' Since the port of
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena ( ), known since the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias (), is a city and one of the major ports on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region, along the Caribbean Sea. Cartagena's past role as a link in the route ...
is closed, the people have to fly from
Colón, Panama
Colón () is a city and Port#Seaport, seaport in Panama, beside the Caribbean Sea, lying near the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is the capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's se ...
. About 300 people are still waiting to buy tickets.
*March 15 – In a historic first, all
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an Independent agency of the U.S. government, independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to communities in partner countries around the world. It was established in Marc ...
volunteers worldwide are withdrawn from their host countries.
*March 16 – Mexican deputy health minister
Hugo Lopez-Gatell denies a charge by El Salvador president
Nayib Bukele
Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez (; born 24 July 1981) is a Salvadoran politician and businessman who has served as the 81st president of El Salvador since 2019.
In 1999, Bukele established an advertising company and worked at an advertising com ...
that Mexico let a dozen people with
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
board a plane bound to
El Salvador International Airport.
*March 18 – Costa Rica registers its first death from COVID-19.
*March 26 – The United States sends ICE planes previously used to deport undocumented immigrants to evacuate North Americans stranded in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. 64 people were transported from Honduras on March 24.
*March 28 – Panama and Costa Rica fail in attempts to move thousands of migrants from Africa, Asia, and Haiti amassed in shelters as a precaution against COVID-19. Panama has 901 confirmed infections and 17 deaths while Costa Rica has 295 confirmed cases and two deaths.
April
*April 1 – U.S. President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
announces that he is stepping up pressure on Venezuelan President
Nicolás Maduro
Nicolás Maduro Moros (; born 23 November 1962) is a Venezuelan politician and former union leader serving as the 53rd president of Venezuela since 2013. Previously, he was the 24th Vice President of Venezuela, vice president from 2012 to 20 ...
. Trump sends anti-drug Navy ships and
AWACS planes to the region near
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
in the largest military build-up in the region since the
1989 invasion of Panama to remove General
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno ( , ; February 11, 1934 – May 29, 2017) was a Panamanian dictator and military officer who was the ''de facto'' List of heads of state of Panama, ruler of Panama from 1983 to 1989. He never officially serv ...
from power.
*April 3
**Thousands of Central Americans are jailed for disobeying coronavirus
lockdown
A lockdown () is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely.
The term is used for a prison protocol that us ...
rules.
**The
National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela
The Bolivarian National Armed Forces ( - FANB) of Venezuela are controlled by the Commander-in-Chief (the President of Venezuela, President) and the Ministry of Defense (Venezuela), Minister of Defense. In addition to the Venezuelan Army, army, ...
prepare artillery for a possible attack by the United States.
*April 4
**Belize closes its borders to all, including nationals. Nineteen Belizeans are confined at two facilities in
Corozal Town
Corozal is a town in Belize, capital of Corozal District. Corozal is located about 84 miles north of Belize City, and 9 miles from the border with Mexico. The population of Corozal, according to the main results of the 2010 census, is 9,871.
Co ...
.
**Nicaraguans ask where President Ortega is; he has not been seen in public since March 12.
*April 5–11:
Holy Week
Holy Week () commemorates the seven days leading up to Easter. It begins with the commemoration of Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, marks the betrayal of Jesus on Spy Wednesday (Holy Wednes ...
*April 11
**
Juan Santamaría
Juan Santamaría Rodríguez (August 29, 1831 – April 11, 1856) was a Drummer (military), drummer in the Costa Rican army, officially recognized as the Hero (title), national hero of his country for his actions in the 1856 Second Battle of ...
Day, Costa Rica
**Honduras extends its red alert status for the coronavirus until April 19.
*April 12 – The
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border control organization, charged with regulating and facilita ...
says it has used the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to expel over 10,000
Mexican and Central American
asylum seekers
An asylum seeker is a person who leaves their country of residence, enters another country, and makes in that other country a formal application for the right of asylum according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 14. A pers ...
to Mexico.
*April 20 – 1.8 million children return to school and 130,000 government employees return to work in Nicaragua despite fears of COVID-19. Nicaragua has had two deaths and nine reported cases of
coronavirus
Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses in humans include some cases of the comm ...
. President Daniel Ortega, who had not been seen for 34 days, said Nicaraguans “haven’t stopped working, because if this country stops working, it dies.”
*April 21 – The
estimates that the coronavirus pandemic may result in a 5.3% in
GDP
Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the total market value of all the final goods and services produced and rendered in a specific time period by a country or countries. GDP is often used to measure the economic performance o ...
in the region, resulting in a 4.4% increase in poverty and a 2.5% increase in extreme poverty—29 million people.
*April 23
**The
International Monetary Fund (IMF) extends El Salvador a credit of $389 million and demands budget cuts (including a 60% cut in pensions) and tax increases including fuel taxes and
value-added tax (VAT).
**The
United Nations Commission on Human Rights
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) was a functional commission within the United Nations System, overall framework of the United Nations from 1946 until it was replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006. It was a ...
calls on Mexican and Central American governments to halt deportations during the coronavirus pandemic. 2,500 migrants are stuck in Panama because Honduras has closed its border. Mexico has dumped migrants in Guatemala, but Guatemala has not let them in. On April 23 the organization helped 41 migrants return to El Salvador from Mexico.
*April 24 – Lee Henley Huxiang, a Belizean national, is going to be prosecuted in China for helping pro-democracy activists in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
. Belize does not have diplomatic relations with
China (People's Republic of China), but recognizes the government of
Taiwan (Republic of China) instead.
*April 26
**Mexico′s
National Institute of Migration (INM) empties the 65 migrant detention centers it has across the country by returning 3,653 people to Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras in the hope of preventing outbreaks of COVID-19.
**Over a hundred Nicaraguan citizens are denied entry to Nicaragua as they flee the coronavirus and unemployment in other countries.
*April 27 – After a weekend with a record number of killings, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele authorizes the use of force against criminal gangs. He also cracks down on inmates inside prisons.
*April 28 – Juan Carlos Muñoz, vice-minister of the
Presidency of Panama resigns after being accused of corruption.
*April 29
**Two dozen Colombians deported from the United States have been found to have coronavirus. Other infections among deportees have been found in Haiti, Mexico, Guatemala, and Jamaica.
**Residents of Felipillo, Panama, block the
Pan-American Highway
The Pan-American Highway is a vast network of roads that stretches about 30,000 kilometers (about 19,000 miles) from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in the northernmost part of North America to Ushuaia, Argentina, at the southern tip of South America. I ...
for twelve hours, demanding the “bono solidario” (solidarity bonus) promised by the government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
*April 30
**Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares (“El Tigre”), former chief of the
National Police of Honduras, is charged in New York with drug trafficking conspiracy.
**The
Pan American Health Organization (PAHA) warns of
measles
Measles (probably from Middle Dutch or Middle High German ''masel(e)'', meaning "blemish, blood blister") is a highly contagious, Vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine-preventable infectious disease caused by Measles morbillivirus, measles v ...
outbreaks in Venezuela and Colombia.There have also been outbreaks in Mexico and Brazil.
May
*May 1 –
International Workers' Day
International Workers' Day, also called Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of Wage labour, labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every yea ...
and
Labour Day
Labour Day is an annual day of celebration of the labour movement and its labor rights, achievements. It has its origins in the trade union, labour union movement, specifically the Eight-hour day movement, eight-hour day movement, which advoca ...
*May 3 –
Fiesta de las Cruces (El Salvador)
*May 4 – The
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
sanctions six high-ranking officials of the government of Nicaragua, including the police chief, for human rights violations in April 2018.
*May 17 – Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele′s “containment centers” where thousands of Salvadorans have been detained for more than a month at a time without judicial review, come under criticism from human rights advocates. The government has reported 1,265 cases and 26 deaths from the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
nationwide.
*May 12 – The
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...
is going dry because of a lack of rain.
*May 18
**
Commonwealth Day, Belize
**COVID-19 pandemic: Nicaragua closes its borders with Costa Rica as the latter tests truck drivers. Sixty-one drivers test positive and are turned back. Costa Rica has 866 confirmed cases and ten deaths, and some question the veracity of Nicaragua's claim of only 25 cases and eight deaths.
*May 26 – Costa Rica becomes the first country in Central America to legalize
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
.
*May 28 – Legislative leaders from Costa Rica and Panama meet with their counterparts from eight other Latin American countries to discuss a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
*May 31 –
Tropical Storm Amanda kills seventeen in El Salvador and Guatemala while causing flooding, power outages, destroying 50 homes and sending thousands to shelters.
June
*June 3
**
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
: ''El Observatorio Ciudadano,'' an anonymous group of 90 doctors, epidemiologists, and other health providers, says that Nicaragua is following the
Swedish model of fighting the pandemic, resulting in 3,275 infections and 805 deaths, as opposed to the official figures of 759 infections and 35 deaths.
**Migrants from Africa and the Caribbean continue their march north through Honduras despite the fact that the country has closed its borders.
*June 8
**
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that Gustavo Adolfo Alejos Cámbara, private secretary to former President
Álvaro Colom
Álvaro Colom Caballeros (; 15 June 1951 – 23 January 2023) was a Guatemalan engineer, businessman, and politician who served as the 47th president of Guatemala from 2008 to 2012, as well as the General-Secretary of the political party, Natio ...
(2008-2012) is ineligible for admission to the United States because of corruption. The ban also applies to Alejos Cámbara's family.
**
Spain’s National Court begins the trial of Inocente Orlando Montano, a former colonel who served as El Salvador’s vice minister for public security during the country’s
1979-1992 civil war and René Yusshy Mendoza, an army lieutenant, for their alleged involvement in the massacre of five Spanish priests in El Salvador in 1989.
*June 11 – The
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
(WHO) reports a decrease in
malaria
Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
in Latin America, although there are fears that many cases are going undetected as sick people stay home instead of going to hospitals. Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua report increases, the last by 25%.
*June 17, President
Juan Orlando Hernández
Juan Orlando Hernández Alvarado (; born 28 October 1968), also known by his initials JOH, is a Honduran lawyer, former politician and convicted drug trafficker who was 38th president of Honduras from 27 January 2014 to 27 January 2022 for two ...
of Honduras and his wife, Ana García, reported that they had been infected by
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
.
July
*July 8 – Homicides in El Salvador fell over 50% in President Nayib Bukele's first year in office, with officials citing tougher enforcement, while a study by the Brussels-based
International Crisis Group
The International Crisis Group (ICG; also known as the Crisis Group) is a global non-profit, non-governmental organisation founded in 1995. It is a think tank, used by policymakers and academics, conducting research and analysis on global crises. ...
(ICG) suggests gangs may have eased up on violence and made informal deals with authorities.
*July 9 – COVID-19 pandemic: Panama reports 41,251 cases, which puts it in first place in
Latin America
Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...
for the number of infections based upon population, ahead of
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
and
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
. Panama has 4,316,453 inhabitants for a rate of 104.6 cases per million inhabitants.
*July 12 – Dr. Maria Franca Tallarico, the head of health for the Americas regional office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warns that many Latin American countries have reduced efforts to combat
Dengue fever outbreaks.
*July 13 – COVID-19 pandemic: A report by ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' and the
Marshall Project indicates that
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE; ) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security. ICE's stated mission is to protect the Un ...
(ICE) worsened the spread of the pandemic by deporting sick people to their countries of origin, including Guatemala and El Salvador.
*July 18 – El Salvador announces a fumigation program against
American grasshoppers.
*July 19 –
Revolution Day, Nicaragua
*July 25
**
Guanacaste Day, Costa Rica
**COVID-19 pandemic: Mexico and
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
send medical supplies to ten Latin American countries, including Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panamá.
*July 31 – A fire started by a
Molotov cocktail
A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see '') is a hand-thrown incendiary weapon consisting of a frangible container filled with flammable substances and equipped with a Fuse (explosives), fuse (typically a glass bottle filled wit ...
damages a holy image in the
Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Managua
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Mary ( Spanish: ''Catedral Metropolitana de la Inmaculada Concepción de María''), referred to as the New Cathedral (''La Nueva Catedral''), is located in Managua, Nicaragua. It was dedic ...
, Nicaragua.
August
*August 1 and 10 –
St. Dominic de Guzmán, Nicaragua
*August 3 – Panama proposes sending 2,000 Haitian, Cuban, and African migrants home after disturbances in camps.
*August 7 –
Dyala Jimenez Figueres, Costa Rica's Minister of Foreign Trade, resigns.
*August 16 –
COVID-19 pandemic in Belize: Attorney General
Michael Peyrefitte announces a tightening of restrictions, including a return to a nationwide curfew, as the virus worsens.
*August 17 –
COVID-19 pandemic in Panama: Panama reopens hair salons and churches.
*August 27 –
Crab Soup Day,
Abolition of slavery in Corn Islands, Nicaragua
September
*September 4 – An earthquake with a 5.5 magnitude strikes Panama and Costa Rica; no reported injuries or damages.
*September 10 –
Battle of St. George's Caye Day, Belize
*
September 11 –
United States invasion of Panama
The United States invaded Panama in mid-December 1989 during the presidency of George H. W. Bush. The purpose of the invasion was to depose the '' de facto'' ruler of Panama, General Manuel Noriega, who was wanted by U.S. authorities for rack ...
: Remains of victims of the 1989 invasion in
Colón are exhumed for identification.
*September 12 –
Mauricio Claver-Carone becomes the first citizen of the U.S. to lead the
Inter-American Development Bank
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB or IADB) is an international development finance institution headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States of America. It serves as one of the leading sources of development financing for the countri ...
.
*September 14 –
Battle of San Jacinto (1856), Nicaragua
*September 15
Independence Day
An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...
: Costa Rica,
El Salvador,
Guatemala,
Honduras, and
Nicaragua
*September 21 – Independence Day, Belize
*September 30 –
St. Jerome's Day, Nicaragua
October
*October 2 – The Mexican government deploys 26,000 soldiers on its southern border to block a caravan of immigrants originating in Honduras.
*October 3 –
Francisco Morazán
José Francisco Morazán Quesada (; born October 3, 1792 – September 15, 1842) was a liberal Central American politician and general who served as president of the Federal Republic of Central America from 1830 to 1839. Before he was president ...
Day, Honduras
*October 12 –
Columbus Day
Columbus Day is a national holiday in many countries of the Americas and elsewhere, and a federal holiday in the United States, which officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. He went ashore at ...
and Indigenous Resistance Day (Nicaragua)
*October 19 –
Day of the 1944 Revolution, Guatemala
*October 21 –
Armed Forces Day
An Armed Forces Day, alongside its Military branch, branch-specific variants often referred to as Army or Soldier's Day, Navy or Sailor's Day, and Air Force or Aviator's Day, is a holiday dedicated to honoring the Military, armed forces, o ...
, Honduras
November
*November 1–2:
All Saints Day
All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christianity, Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the Church, whether ...
and
Day of the Dead
The Day of the Dead () is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pa ...
*November 3 – Separation Day, Panama
*November 4 – Hurricane Eta kills at least 19 and leaves 2,776 homeless in Honduras and Nicaragua.
*November 5 –
Colón Day, Panama
*November 11 –
2020 Belizean parliamentary election: :
Johnny Briceño
John Antonio Briceño (born 17 July 1960) is a Belizean politician who is the fifth and current prime minister of Belize since 12 November 2020 and the leader of the People's United Party (PUP) since 2016. He was Leader of the Opposition from 2 ...
of the
People's United Party
The People's United Party (, PUP) is one of two major political parties in Belize. It is currently the governing party of Belize after success in the 2025 Belizean general election, winning a majority of 26 seats out of 31 in the Belizean Hou ...
(PUP) leads 19 seats to five.
*November 16
**
Hurricane Iota
Hurricane Iota was a devastating late-season tropical cyclone which caused severe damage to areas of Central America already devastated by Hurricane Eta two weeks prior. The 31st and final tropical cyclone, 30th named storm, 14th hurricane, an ...
makes landfall in
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
as a Category 4 hurricane (the then strongest to do so) two weeks after
Hurricane Eta
Hurricane Eta was a deadly and erratic tropical cyclone that devastated parts of Central America in early November 2020. The record-tying twenty-eighth named storm, thirteenth hurricane, and sixth major hurricane of the extremely active 2020 A ...
.
**Presidents Alejandro Giammattei and Juan Orlando Hernandez warn that climate change will lead to more migration.
*November 19 –
Garifuna Settlement Day, Belize
*November 21 –
Our Lady of Peace, El Salvador
December
*December 8 –
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
, Nicaragua
*December 16 – COVID-19 pandemic: Costa Rica and Panama approve the
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and hope to begin applications in the first trimester of 2021.
*December 17 – Mexican President
López Obrador defends his country's restrictive migration policy but says things may change with
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
's election in the US.
*December 19 – During a phone call, Mexican President Lopez Obrador and United States President-elect
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
discuss a new approach to migration issues including why people emigrate from Central America.
*December 22 – Fourteen migrant women being held at the
Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia, US, sue for abuse and forced medical procedures, including unnecessary
hysterectomies.
*December 25 –
Christmas Day
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...
, holiday throughout region
*December 26 –
Boxing Day
Boxing Day, also called as Offering Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part ...
, Belize and throughout region
*December 28 – The US cuts military aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras as part of an anti-corruption effort.
Culture
Film, television, and theater
Literature
Music
*February 20 –
Premio Lo Nuestro 2020 in Miami, Florida
Sports
*January 9 – Costa Rica will play the United States and
Dominica
Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. It is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of t ...
in qualifying rounds for the
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
The 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification was the FIFA World Cup qualification, qualifying process which decided the 31 teams that would join hosts Qatar national football team, Qatar, who received an automatic spot, at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Par ...
and that
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, El Salvador,
Haiti
Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
, and Honduras will play in Group. B.
*February 7 to 10 – Ultramarathon Xocomil in
Lake Atitlán, Sololá Department
*February 22 to March 8 – ''Campeonato Femenino Sub-20 Concacaf 2020'' (Concacaf 2020 Under-20 Women's Championship) in the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...
*April 25 – Boxing returns to Nicaragua as the country reopens after reporting three deaths and eleven cases of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
. Baseball and soccer games are also being played.
*May 9 to 17 –
2020 ISA World Surfing Games in El Salvador (event postponed until 8–16 May 2021)
Deaths
*January 2 – Ricardo Rosales Román, 85, Guatemalan politician (
Guatemalan Party of Labour) and ''guerrilla'' (
Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity
The Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (in Spanish: ''Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca'', URNG-MAIZ or most commonly URNG) is a Guatemalan political party that started as a guerrilla movement in 1982. The party laid down its ar ...
) (b. 1934)
*January 5 –
David Albin Zywiec Sidor, 72, American-Nicaraguan Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of
Siuna (since 2017), brain tumor (b. July 15, 1947)
*February 20 – José Benito López Méndez, 51, leader of ''Ciudadanos por la Libertad'' ("Citizens for Liberty," an opposition political party) in
Mulukuku, Nicaragua; kidnapped and shot
*March 1 –
Ernesto Cardenal, 95, Nicaraguan poet and priest; health complications (b. January 20, 1925)
*April 4 –
Rafael Leonardo Callejas Romero, 76, Honduran politician,
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
(1990–1994); cardiac arrest
*April 15 –
Dorick M. Wright, 74, Belizean Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of
Belize City-Belmopan (2006–2017).
*May 19 –
Carlos Jirón, 65, Nicaraguan politician, member of the
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
; complications from diabetes
*May 25 –
Otto de la Rocha, 86, Nicaraguan singer, songwriter and actor.
*June 14 –
Haroldo Rodas, 74, Guatemalan diplomat and politician,
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...
(2008–2012); COVID-19.
*June 16 –
Edén Pastora ("Commander Zero"), 83, Nicaraguan revolutionary leader and 2006 presidential candidate (
Alternative for Change
*June 23 –
César Bosco Vivas Robelo, 78, Nicaraguan Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of
León (1991–2019).
*July 9 –
Irma Lanzas, 86, Salvadoran writer and educator.
*July 18 –
David Romero Ellner, 65, Honduran journalist and politician (Movimiento de Izquierda Revolucionaria, MRI); COVID-19.
*August 2 –
Bobby Prescott, 89, Panamanian baseball player (
Kansas City Athletics
The Kansas City Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1955 to 1967, having previously played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Philadelphia Athletics. After moving in 1967, the team became the ...
).
*September 9 –
Henrietta Boggs, 102, American-Costa Rican writer and socialite,
First Lady (1948–1949), subject of ''
First Lady of the Revolution''.
Murió la exprimera dama Henrietta Boggs
See also
* 2020 in the Caribbean
*2020 in Mexico
This article lists events occurring in Mexico during 2020. 2020 is the "Year of Leona Vicario, Benemérita (Praiseworthy) Mother of the Fatherland". The article also lists the most important political leaders during the year at both federal ...
*COVID-19 pandemic in North America
The first cases of the COVID-19 pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in North America were reported in the United States on 23 January 2020. Cases were reported in all North American countries after Saint Kitts and Nevis confirmed a case on 2 ...
* 2020 in politics and government
*2020s
The 2020s (pronounced "twenty-twenties" or "two thousand ndtwenties"; shortened to "the '20s" and also known as "The Twenties") is the current decade that began on 1 January 2020, and will end on 31 December 2029.
The 2020s began with th ...
* 2020s in political history
*Central American Parliament
The Central American Parliament (), also known as PARLACEN, is the political institution and parliamentary body of the Central American Integration System (SICA). Its headquarters are in Guatemala City.
History
The PARLACEN's origins date b ...
*List of George Floyd protests outside the United States
George Floyd, an African Americans, African American man, Murder of George Floyd, was murdered on 25 May 2020 during a Minneapolis Police Department, police arrest. George Floyd protests, Protests seeking justice for Floyd List of George Floyd ...
* List of state leaders in Central America in 2020
*2020 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, in terms of the number of systems. It featured a total of 31 tropical and subtropical cyclones, with all but one cyclone becoming a named storm. ...
References
External links
El Universal (Mexico) in English
Associated Press (Latin America)
Amandala (Belize)
{{Year in North America, 2020
2020s in Central America
Years of the 21st century in Central America