The leftist president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, decreed on Thursday a national emergency due to insecurity in the Central American nation and has declared “war” on criminal groups operating in Honduran territory.
With this measure, Castro has instructed security authorities to establish “states of exception and suspend constitutional guarantees” wherever necessary. She has also ordered the Military Police and the Armed Forces to carry out border controls.
This announcement by the Honduran president was made in the framework of the presentation of a national security plan with which the Central American country “declares war” on criminal groups that practice extortion, corruption, and drug trafficking.
“Extortion is immersed in different areas of our country; it is one of the main causes of migration and closure of small and medium businesses”, said the Honduran president, according to the local newspaper ‘La Prensa’.
As Castro explained, the main objective of her “anti-extortion plan” is to combat the gangs and gangs operating in Honduran territory and, especially in the streets of the capital, Tegucigalpa.
Castro also confirmed that he had instructed the telecommunications agency (Conatel) to monitor the sale of telephone chips, a process which, from now on, will only be carried out after the buyer has been identified.
At the economic level, the National Commission of Banks and Insurance will also have to establish “necessary measures so that bank movements are made with the identification of the persons”.