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Belize assumed the Pro Tempore Presidency of SICA this Thursday, in an act marked by solidarity with Venezuela following the two earthquakes that shook that South American country. The handover took place at the SICA headquarters in Antiguo Cuscatlán, El Salvador, where representatives from the eight member countries and regional authorities participated in the ceremony.
n” “nThe transfer of the presidency was led by the Dominican Republic, which held the position during the first half of 2026, and which now hands over temporary leadership to Belize. The event was attended by the Salvadoran vice president, Félix Ulloa, as well as delegates from the other member countries and officials of the organization, according to EFE.
n” “nDuring the ceremony, Ingrid Figueroa Santamaría, Executive Director of the SICA General Secretariat, referred to Central American integration. “The act that brings us together today is much more than a handover; it is an opportunity to reaffirm a conviction that has accompanied our region for decades, that together we are stronger, more resilient, and have greater opportunities to respond to the challenges, dreams, and needs of our peoples,” the official stated in remarks reported by EFE.
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The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, Roberto Álvarez, referred to his country’s management in the previous semester to strengthen the system’s operational capacity. “Integration is not strengthened only when it adopts new initiatives, it is also strengthened when its institutions function, when its bodies can fulfill the responsibilities assigned to them,” stated Álvarez, as reported by EFE.
n” “nThe new presidency was formally assumed by the Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceño, who highlighted his country’s commitment to the regional agenda. “Belize receives the Pro Tempore Presidency of SICA with a great sense of responsibility and commitment,” assured Briceño, who added that his government “reaffirms its willingness to continue regional efforts, as well as to actively contribute to the strengthening of the Central American integration process.”
Delegates from Belize and other SICA countries pose in front of the headquarters during the assumption of the Pro Tempore Presidency of Belize, in an act that included solidarity with Venezuela.
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The Central American Integration System (SICA), founded in December 1991, has as its “fundamental objective” to integrate the region to “constitute it as a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development,” according to the institutional portal cited by EFE. Currently, the organization is made up of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Belize and the Dominican Republic, the latter being the most recent addition, in 2013.
n” “nThe gesture of solidarity with Venezuela
n” “nIn the context of the ceremony, attendees observed a minute of silence for the victims of the two earthquakes that affected Venezuela the previous Wednesday. According to the EFE report, it was the Dominican Foreign Minister who proposed the gesture and stated: “It is known to all the tragedy that occurred yesterday in Venezuela and that at this moment we know that there have been serious human and material losses,” while urging those present to show solidarity. Rescue personnel who will be deployed to provide support to those affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela board an aircraft at the Second Air Brigade of the Salvadoran Air Force in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, on June 25, 2026.
n” “nThe Prime Minister of Belize also referred to the situation in Venezuela and called on the region to provide all possible aid. The most recent official data, cited by EFE, indicate that the death toll in Venezuela rose to 188, while the number of injured reached 1,520. Damage was reported to at least 346 buildings, including residential buildings, hospitals, and shopping centers.
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