SAO PAULO: Tragedy unfolded in a women’s prison in Honduras as 46 people were killed in a violent riot between violent gangs, the prosecutor’s office said Wednesday.
Reports indicate that the chaos erupted when rival gangs engaged in a fierce fight, with one gang setting a cell ablaze. While the fire was responsible for most of the deaths, some victims were also shot during the unrest.
In response to the devastating incident, the country’s Deputy Security Minister, Julissa Villanueva, declared a state of emergency and vowed to take decisive action against the ongoing violence. She authorized the immediate involvement of firefighters, police, and the military.
“The loss of human lives will not be tolerated,” stated Ms. Villanueva. It remains unclear whether all the casualties were inmates of the facility, located approximately 20km (12 miles) from the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, housing around 900 individuals. Several other prisoners have been transported to hospitals for medical treatment.
Delma Ordóñez, who represents family members of the inmates, conveyed to local media that a significant portion of the prison had been “completely destroyed” during the violent outbreak. Videos circulated on social media, capturing a massive cloud of gray smoke billowing from the women’s prison.
Corruption and Gang Violence in Honduran
Expressing her shock and dismay, President Xiomara Castro, who initiated a crackdown on gangs last year, took to social media, pledging to implement “drastic measures” in response to what she called the “monstrous murder of women.” Ms. Villanueva also announced that investigations would be launched to hold accountable “all those persons in prison who are in collusion with organized crime.”
Honduras has long struggled with corruption and rampant gang violence, permeating government institutions and leading to a soaring homicide rate. Together with its neighboring countries, El Salvador and Guatemala, Honduras serves as a significant transit route for cocaine trafficking from South America to the United States. The nation has a grim history of deadly prison riots, often linked to organized crime. In 2019, a gang-related violence incident claimed the lives of at least 18 individuals at a prison in the northern port city of Tela.
