The President of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, unveiled this Friday, June 14, a project to build a “mega-prison” intended to accommodate 20,000 detainees. This initiative is part of an emergency plan aimed at combating crime in this Central American country, hard hit by violence.
Honduran authorities are implementing measures to combat rampant organized crime in this Central American country, one of the most violent in the world. On Friday, the government declared a “security emergency” and announced a series of measures, the main of which is the construction of a “mega-prison” with a capacity of 20,000 places.
Measures announced President Xiomara Castro detailed the new initiatives in a televised address. Security forces will be deployed to carry out urgent interventions in areas most affected by gang crime, including hired killings, drug and firearms trafficking, extortion, kidnapping and money laundering silver.
Construction of the new prison The new prison will be built between the eastern departments of Olancho and Gracias a Dios, virtually doubling the country’s current prison capacity, which currently has around 21,000 inmates spread across around 30 facilities.
Criminal code reforms The government also plans to reform the penal code to allow drug traffickers and members of criminal gangs to be designated as “terrorists”, which would allow them to be tried collectively.
Additional operations Security forces will carry out operations to destroy coca and marijuana plantations, as well as illegal drug processing centers.
Context In December 2022, Honduras declared a state of emergency, suspending parts of the constitution to combat gang crime. The country’s homicide rate is almost six times the global average, with 34 people killed per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.
The move echoes similar measures implemented in El Salvador by President Nayib Bukele, which reduced murder rates but also drew criticism from human rights groups.
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