AGP Executive Report

Catholic Church in the U.S.: Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala was installed as the 10th bishop of Wheeling-Charleston, with Solemn Vespers featuring music and participation that included Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chávez, retired auxiliary bishop of San Salvador—an El Salvador connection that underscores how faith networks travel. El Salvador on the pitch: LAFC hosted El Salvador in an exhibition at BMO Stadium, winning 3-0, with Ukrainian fullback Yevhen Cheberko making an early appearance for the club—another reminder of how Salvadoran supporters keep showing up abroad. Disaster solidarity with a Salvadoran thread: Venezuela’s earthquake rescue story kept expanding, with acting president Delcy Rodríguez thanking international teams, including El Salvador, after survivor Hernán Gil was pulled alive. Community and culture through sport: Canada Day’s “All Nations Soccer Day” in Portage la Prairie brought teams including El Salvador together with food, music, and family activities—culture as something you do, not just watch. Global climate stakes: A major report argues NATO can’t treat climate change as “soft” anymore, because extreme heat and storms directly affect defense readiness.

Venezuela Earthquake Aftermath: Search-and-rescue dogs are stealing the spotlight as Tsunami, a mixed-breed border collie, retires after helping save 25 people trapped under rubble—an emotional reminder of how communities and international teams keep working even as hopes fade. El Salvador in the Spotlight (Sports): LAFC hosted El Salvador in a friendly, cruising 3-0 with goals from Mark Delgado, Jeremy Ebobisse, and Ryan Hollingshead—plus a first look at new signing Yevhen Cheberko. Immigration & Belonging: In Indianapolis, Jose Benavides—originally from El Salvador—became a U.S. citizen after decades in the country, part of a July Fourth–adjacent wave of naturalizations. Culture & Faith: A first Salvadoran bishop in America was installed in West Virginia, underscoring how Catholic leadership and community ties keep expanding across borders. Global Politics Watch: Peru’s election brings Keiko Fujimori to power, with promises of a tougher crime crackdown that even cites El Salvador’s CECOT model.

Education & Safety: Students and teachers at Instituto Nacional General Francisco Menéndez (INFRAMEN) in San Salvador were reportedly poisoned after inhaling chemical substances in a school lab, triggering rapid response from the Red Cross, SEM, Fire Department, and police; at least one student was taken to hospital and officials were still confirming how many were affected. Community & Faith: West Virginia Catholics marked the installation of Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, with major church leaders including Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chávez (retired auxiliary bishop of San Salvador) joining the Mass—an event that underscores Salvadoran Catholic ties abroad. Disaster Response (Regional Lens): Venezuela’s earthquake recovery continues to draw international attention, including large-scale rescue coordination and stories of survival—an emotional reminder of how Central America’s neighbors are coping and rebuilding. Culture & Lifestyle (Global, With Latin Flavor): Colombian singer Juanes is set to perform at Ibai Llanos’ La Velada del Año VI in Seville, blending music and digital sports entertainment for a massive online audience.

Resistance To Autocracy: Freedom House and V-Dem warn democracy is sliding into a “growing shadow of autocracy,” citing crackdowns and restructuring across places including El Salvador. Education & Public Health: San Salvador’s Instituto Nacional General Francisco Menéndez reports students and teachers poisoned after chemical exposure in a lab, triggering Red Cross, emergency services, and police response. Community & Belonging: In the U.S., Independence Day naturalization ceremonies highlighted new citizens from countries including El Salvador, with children’s choirs and reenactors turning civic ritual into family culture. Faith & Leadership: A new Catholic bishop was installed in West Virginia with livestreamed Mass featuring clergy from across the region, including a retired auxiliary bishop of San Salvador. Sports & Identity: Portage la Prairie’s All Nations Soccer Day brought teams from El Salvador and other countries together with food, music, and kids’ activities. Latin America Politics: Peru declared Keiko Fujimori the runoff winner, promising a tougher crime crackdown and citing El Salvador’s prison model.

Community & Belonging: Portage la Prairie’s Rotary Park hosted “All Nations Soccer Day” on Canada Day, drawing 150+ attendees and teams from El Salvador, Malawi, South India, Nigeria, and Ukraine—plus food, music, and family activities. Education Safety: Students and teachers at INFRAMEN in San Salvador were reportedly poisoned after inhaling chemicals in a school lab; ambulances, the Red Cross, SEM, Fire Department, and police responded, with early reports of 11–14 affected and at least one hospital transfer. Politics & Rights Across Borders: Peru’s election was decided by a razor-thin margin as Keiko Fujimori was declared winner, signaling a broader rightward shift in the region. Faith & Leadership: West Virginia installed Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, with Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chávez of San Salvador among senior clergy at the ceremony. Humanitarian Spotlight (Venezuela): After twin earthquakes, international teams kept searching; a Venezuelan security guard, Hernán Gil, described surviving eight days trapped under rubble, while officials reported a rising death toll and ongoing rescue operations.

School Safety: Students and teachers at INFRAMEN in San Salvador were reportedly poisoned after inhaling chemicals in a lab, prompting ambulances, Red Cross/SEM response, and a hospital transfer for at least one student. Faith & Community: Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, the first Salvadoran-born bishop in America, was installed in West Virginia with a message of unity and belonging—his immigrant story shaping his pastoral approach. Humanitarian Relief: After Venezuela’s twin earthquakes, international rescue and aid operations are scaling up, with dozens of countries’ teams coordinating search-and-rescue and supplies. Survival Story: Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, a Venezuelan security guard trapped for eight days under rubble at Galerías Playa Grande, was rescued alive in a widely shared “miracle” operation. Culture & Lifestyle: Carissa Moore returned to the World Surf League with back-to-back wins, celebrating motherhood as her daughter watched from shore.

Venezuela Quake Aftermath: Rescuers pulled 43-year-old security guard Hernán Alberto Gil Flores alive after eight days trapped under rubble in La Guaira, a “miracle” rescue coordinated by international teams including El Salvador, with food and liquid nutrients delivered through a narrow opening. Humanitarian Response: The interim government’s Delcy Rodríguez defended the quake response amid criticism, saying officials mobilized thousands immediately, while the U.S. continued an airlift of supplies. Catholic Community & Migration: Pope Leo XIV will mark U.S. Independence with a visit to Lampedusa to meet migrants, underscoring ongoing tensions with U.S. immigration policy. Local Faith Leadership: Wheeling-Charleston installed Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, a Salvadoran-born leader whose immigrant story shapes his message of belonging. Education & Youth: Uniondale High School celebrated its 2026 graduates, including valedictorian Sarah Guadalupe Ramirez Calderon, whose parents immigrated from El Salvador. Tech & Work: A UN push for AI governance highlights how office assistants are already adapting as AI automates routine tasks.

Humanitarian Rescue: Rescuers in Venezuela pulled 43-year-old security guard Hernán Alberto Gil Flores alive from the rubble of the Galerías Playa Grande shopping center in La Guaira, ending an eight-day operation that kept him alive with food and water through a narrow opening while teams from Venezuela, Chile, the U.S., Portugal, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Mexico worked around aftershocks and unstable structures. Diaspora & Faith: West Virginia installed the first Salvadoran-born bishop in America, Most Rev. Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, whose immigrant story shaped his message of walking with people “without judgment.” Culture & Work: A new look at how AI is reshaping administrative assistants’ jobs—boosting speed for some while raising fears of further decline in a profession still largely made up of women. Local Pride: Miami’s mayor credited the city’s Fire and Rescue team for helping lead the U.S. contingent in the Venezuela rescue. Immigration Spotlight: A Supreme Court roundup continues to roil communities tied to TPS and broader migrant protections, with advocates warning of major fallout.

Humanitarian Rescue: Rescuers in Venezuela pulled 43-year-old security guard Hernán Alberto Gil Flores alive from rubble after eight days, a rare breakthrough as the quake death toll nears 2,300 and thousands remain missing. Faith & Migration: Pope Leo XIV’s July 4 visit to Lampedusa spotlights migrants and sends a pointed message to U.S. leaders amid ongoing tensions with the Trump administration. Arts & Youth Writing: Bay Area “Sights + Sounds” spotlights Janet Heller and Chapter 510, a youth writing center in Oakland that published an anthology of poems by fourth graders. Local Food & Culture: A U.S. Latino market in Sebree, Kentucky, highlights Guatemalan staples and seasonal snacks, showing how immigrant communities keep traditions alive. Education Equity: Worcester, Massachusetts reports Latino students are nearly half the district but under a third of AP enrollment, with advocates pushing for stronger wraparound support. Immigration Policy Shock: Supreme Court decisions on TPS and birthright citizenship are driving fresh fear and uncertainty for immigrant families, including Haitians and Syrians.

Community & Faith Education: Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court San Salvador 576, honored winners of its education contest in David City, with themes “The Least of These” and “Lifting Others Up,” awarding top entries in art, essay, computer art, and poetry. Humanitarian Solidarity: In Venezuela’s quake aftermath, rescuers from seven countries—including El Salvador—worked to reach a 43-year-old man trapped for eight days, as families and volunteers keep searching amid shortages and thousands still unaccounted for. Cost of Living: El Salvador announced lower cooking gas prices for July 2026, extending targeted subsidies for more than a million families to reduce out-of-pocket costs. Public Opinion on Services: A new UCA/IUDOP survey reports strong approval for Bukele’s education and health reforms, citing programs like “Two Schools per Day” and improvements in public care. Immigration & TPS Impact: The U.S. Supreme Court’s Mullin v. Doe decision limits challenges to Temporary Protected Status terminations, leaving many TPS holders—including Salvadorans—more exposed to enforcement. Culture Through Sport: A Reuters report highlights how free “fan bands” and custom charm wristlets are becoming a World Cup ritual, with an El Salvador fan collecting multiple bracelets.

TPS Shock for Employers: The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 25 Mullin v. Doe ruling bars most court challenges to Temporary Protected Status decisions, ending injunctions that had protected Haitians and Syrians—leaving many workers and families bracing for sudden changes. Immigrant Fear at School: Reporting highlights how children in immigrant families are living with constant anxiety as ICE rumors and enforcement intensify. Birthright Citizenship Upheld: In a separate major decision, the Court rejected Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, preserving the 14th Amendment promise for babies born in the U.S. Community Faith & Pride: Catholic Daughters installed new officers at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, while LGBTQ+ communities across Latin America marked Pride with marches demanding equality and safer, more inclusive education. Digital Rights in Central America: A new regional report maps gaps in digital platform governance across El Salvador and neighbors, flagging risks like online gender-based violence and disinformation. Venezuela Quake Aftermath: Days after twin quakes, families in La Guaira keep digging for survivors as rescue operations narrow and the death toll climbs. Local Education Milestone (El Salvador): In Guantánamo, 108 sixth-graders graduated, celebrating teachers, families, and the next step toward secondary school.

Education & Community: In Guantánamo, 108 sixth-graders graduated from the Hermanos Sánchez Olmedo Educational Institution, with teachers and families celebrating the next step toward secondary school and careers like medicine. Justice & Human Rights: Salvadoran mothers protested outside the Metropolitan Cathedral in San Salvador, demanding individual trials, prison visitation rights, and the release of relatives detained under the state of emergency—arguing mass proceedings lump people together by neighborhood rather than guilt. Culture & Faith in the Diaspora: A Church of Christ congregation in Madrid shared how Venezuelan and other Latin American members are reshaping worship and community life, turning migration into a living, multilingual faith network. Public Life & Security: El Salvador’s mass trials of alleged gang members are framed as the latest phase of Bukele’s crackdown, raising questions about whether collective punishment is replacing individual justice. Digital Life: A new regional report maps digital platform regulation across Central America and the Caribbean, flagging gaps tied to disinformation, online gender-based violence, and opaque moderation—naming El Salvador among the countries studied.

Immigration & Community Vigil: Port Washington residents kept a 52nd straight weekly vigil for deported bagel shop manager Fernando Mejia, turning one arrest into a long-running local culture of solidarity. Education & Leadership: Prince William County named five educators for its inaugural principal residency program, including Monica Charles-Williams and Marciela Arboleda, who immigrated from El Salvador. Disaster Diplomacy & Faith: After Venezuela’s twin earthquakes, El Salvador’s rescue teams joined international efforts as survivors shared prayers and “miracle” rescues, while humanitarian needs grew beyond the rescue window. Immigrant Protections Under Pressure: The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Trump’s birthright citizenship order and cleared the way to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians—sparking fear and organizing among affected communities. Food & Everyday Culture: A recall hit Salvadoran-style requesón in Maryland/Virginia/DC due to possible listeria contamination, underscoring how ethnic food supply chains can ripple into daily life. Culinary Training in El Salvador: Gastro-Lab Surf City sent young chefs to a hands-on masterclass in La Libertad with U.S. meat-industry partners, aiming to raise hospitality skills for the tourism economy.

Immigration & TPS: The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Trump to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians, putting hundreds of thousands at risk and shaking communities that rely on protected workers—an issue that also reverberates for Salvadorans tied to TPS timelines. Venezuela Earthquakes: In La Guaira, Venezuelans keep searching through rubble as a 4.6 aftershock rattled the region; the death toll is reported above 1,700 and families fear the rescue window is closing, while humanitarian aid and coordination questions grow. El Salvador’s Humanitarian Role: President Nayib Bukele’s teams intensified operations after reports of children trapped at the Coral Beach building, and rescuers including El Salvador helped pull a 21-year-old survivor after 106 hours. Faith & Community: Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, returning to his roots in El Salvador before his West Virginia installation, shared how faith and rural life shape his mission. Culture Spotlight: Maple Ridge’s Multiculturalism Day drew performers including Salvadoran singers, adding to a week of diaspora culture coverage. Local Politics: Nayib Bukele registered his pre-candidacy for a third term in 2027, signaling the next chapter of El Salvador’s political debate.

Venezuela Earthquake Relief (El Salvador in the mix): After twin quakes devastated northern Venezuela, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced aid and coordination with Caracas, while a 21-year-old man was pulled alive after 106 hours under rubble in La Guaira—rescues involving teams from Venezuela, Mexico, and El Salvador. Aftershocks & the rescue clock: A strong aftershock rattled Caracas and La Guaira days later, renewing panic as officials report at least 1,450 deaths and tens of thousands still missing, with families and volunteers digging through wreckage. Culture & community (Guantánamo): In a separate regional cultural note, Guantánamo kicked off Summer 2026 with “Summer with My People,” featuring music, dance, circus performances, and a mini book fair—showing how public culture keeps communities connected even amid wider crises. Local politics (Bukele campaign): Bukele formally registered for a historic third consecutive term in El Salvador’s ruling Nuevas Ideas process, setting the stage for the 2027 race.

Venezuela Earthquake Response: El Salvador President Nayib Bukele offered emergency aid to Venezuela after the twin quakes, and acting President Delcy Rodríguez quickly coordinated the support—while the crisis deepens amid a strained healthcare system and political fights over who controls relief. Human Stories From the Rubble: Families in La Guaira and beyond report days of frantic searching, including children trapped under collapsed buildings; U.S. and other foreign rescue teams have pulled survivors, but the death toll keeps climbing and many remain missing. Aid Gets Politicized: A Venezuelan opposition donation drive says police tried to shut it down, insisting relief be routed through the government—fueling fears that disaster response will be used for legitimacy. Local Culture Lens: The Vatican announced Pope Leo XIV will bless 32 new metropolitan archbishops, including U.S. leaders with Spanish ties and past ministry in El Salvador—an event that will resonate with the region’s Catholic communities. Sports & Identity: England topped its World Cup group with a 2-0 win over Panama, with Bellingham and Kane delivering early second-half goals in a MetLife Stadium atmosphere fans compared to Wembley.