Gilbert Reyes, an American suspected of killing three Roatan women: Maria Antonia Cruz, Nikendra McCoy and Dione Solórzano, is attempting to fight extradition from Dominican Republic to Honduras. Reyes was arrested on March 31 in Santo Domingo on an INTERPOL warrant related to the murders that took place in José Santos Guardiola. The three women went missing on January 7 and their bodies were found two days later in French Cay, inside a vehicle known to be driven by Bermudez earlier. Bermudez had left the island for US on a flight before the bodies were found.

BELCO in Crisis

The management of Bonacca Electric Company [BELCO] has been taken over by ENEE after Guanajans were left without power for two days on May 17. BELCO was set up in early 1990s as a co-op and was bought out by Desarrollos Energéticos [DESA] several years ago. ENEE is not set up to run a company like BELCO long term and likely BELCO will be placed for an auction sale just like RECO was in 2008. RECO is likely eyeing BELCO’s 8000 customers, located on the undervalued and les developed than Roatan Guanaja Island, for purchase.

Wildfires vs. Airports

Several of Honduras’ five international airports were closed in May due to low visibility caused to wildfires. As of May 20 there were 30 wildfires reported burning through the country on an area of half a million acres. Tegucigalpa international airport was closed for five days as air quality caused the authorities to declare a state of emergency in the capital.