News stories by Danilo Valladares

GUATEMALA CITY, Aug 02 (IPS) - Douglas Cuc, a 32-year-old clown, entered the courtroom with the same smile on his face as when he told jokes for coins on the buses in the town of San Miguel Petapa, near the Guatemalan capital. But this time there was no greasepaint on his face, he did not wear his clown's nose, and he was in handcuffs.

BERLIN, Dic 27 (IPS) - A recent agreement between El Salvador and Germany, with the latter supporting two renewable energy projects that would increase installed capacity in the Central American country by 94.2 megawatts by 2013, points to a promising alliance for carbon-free energy.

GUATEMALA CITY, Dic 17 (IPS) - "Many tourists come to this area for bird watching, but the terrible deforestation is leading to the disappearance of so much of our flora and fauna. The cleared land is used for cattle ranching," said Haroldo Figueroa, who works as a guide in nature reserves along Guatemala's Caribbean coast.

GUATEMALA CITY, Dic 04 (IPS) - As the mining industry booms in Guatemala, local communities are increasingly opposed to the operations of the mainly foreign companies because of the potential negative effects on the environment and on their villages.

GUATEMALA CITY, Nov 20 (IPS) - "I was surprised at how hard it was to learn more English. I had looked for work in a bank, but I would have earned only half what I make here, and I'd have had to work more hours," said Carlos de León from his cubicle in a call centre, part of a rapidly growing industry in Guatemala.

GUATEMALA CITY, Nov 08 (IPS) - The Maya Indians of Central America and Mexico will have little to celebrate when the current era comes to an end on Dec. 21. The extreme poverty and marginalisation they face contrast sharply with the plans for lavish celebrations to lure tourists.

GUATEMALA CITY, Nov 01 (IPS) - From satellites to inter-oceanic canals, the most innovative or ambitious investments in Central America are coming from China - even though six of the seven countries in this sub-region do not have diplomatic ties with the Asian giant.

, Oct 29 (IPS) - "I heard about the Zero Hunger plan on television, but unfortunately it has not arrived here," complained Elías Ruíz, a small farmer in the southern community of Santa Odilia, about the Guatemalan government's flagship programme to end poverty.

GUATEMALA CITY, Oct 22 (IPS) - El Salvador has managed to bring down one of the world’s highest murder rates thanks to a truce between gangs that was lauded by the United Nations as an example to be followed in other countries of Central America.

GUATEMALA CITY, Oct 09 (IPS) - The deaths of eight indigenous demonstrators taking part in a protest against the Guatemalan government in the southwestern province of Totonicapán have provoked outrage within the country and abroad. The protesters accuse the army of shooting into the crowd.