POLITICS · HONDURAS
Key Facts
- —The country Honduras is a Central American country whose government now treats the MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs and the Cártel del Diablo as terrorist groups.
- —Why it matters Washington lists MS-13 and Barrio 18 as foreign terrorist organisations, so Honduran gang policy bears on US security cooperation and on deportations to Honduras.
- —Why now On Wednesday 14 October congressional leaders said they aim to pass the reform on Monday 19 October, and the president of Congress confirmed talks on visiting El Salvador’s CECOT prison.
- —What happened The gang reform would bar people convicted of terrorist association from parole and early release, and give prosecutors 48 hours instead of 24 to file charges in complex cases.
- —What it means for you Visitors face no new rules, but more police and military operations against gangs are likely, and rights defenders urge caution about copying El Salvador.
- —Still open The Supreme Court’s opinion, which is not binding, had not arrived, and no date has been set for the trip to El Salvador.
Honduras’ Congress plans to pass a gang reform on Monday 19 October that would end parole for gang members convicted of terrorism. Congressional leaders set out the timetable on Wednesday 14 October during a session held in the eastern city of Danlí.
The same day, the president of Congress, Tomás Zambrano, confirmed talks with El Salvador on a visit to its CECOT mega-prison. It matters to US readers because Washington lists MS-13 and Barrio 18, both targeted by the reform, as terrorist organisations.
What the Gang Reform Would Change
The package amends the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, and the executive sent it to Congress through the Security Ministry. It follows a decision by the National Defence and Security Council to classify three groups as terrorist organisations.
Those groups are the MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs and the Cártel del Diablo, Zambrano said in late September. He added that the list could grow as police and military intelligence work continues.
The core change bars people convicted of terrorist association from parole and pre-release, so they would serve their full sentences. Marcos Paz, who chairs the security commission of Congress, set out the main points on Wednesday, Proceso Digital reported.
Another change would give prosecutors 48 hours instead of 24 to file formal charges in complex cases. The reform would also change search procedures, letting the National Police and the Military Police carry out searches during emergency operations.
The most debated point concerns tattoos that refer to gangs or terrorist groups, which could count as evidence of membership. Paz said their use would depend on the final wording and on the legal rules of evidence for each case.
Zambrano said the measure covers symbols linked to gangs, not tattoos in general. “Artistic tattoos have nothing to do with it,” he said, according to Proceso Digital.
When Congress Could Vote
Carlos Ledezma, the secretary of Congress and a National Party deputy for Choluteca, said Congress expects the Supreme Court’s opinion on Monday. According to El Heraldo, he said the chamber could send it to committee and approve the reform the same day.
Ledezma said he had spoken with the president of the Supreme Court, Wagner Vallecillo, the previous Friday. He said he hopes all 128 deputies will back the reform, because security should not be a party issue.
Paz said the court’s opinion might arrive on Friday and stressed that it is not binding on Congress. Members of the governing bloc have said the reform will pass whether or not the court’s opinion is favourable, Proceso Digital reported.
Congress passed a law some weeks ago that tightened prison conditions for members of these groups, El Heraldo noted. The new package goes further by changing sentences and criminal procedure.
Why Honduras Is Looking at El Salvador
Zambrano said Congress is waiting for Salvadoran authorities to confirm a date for the visit, which could include the CECOT prison. “We are in talks with the authorities of the sister republic of El Salvador,” he told reporters in Danlí, El Heraldo reported.
The Terrorism Confinement Centre, or CECOT, opened in January 2023 under President Nayib Bukele in Tecoluca, 74 kilometres from San Salvador. El Heraldo describes it as built to hold up to 40,000 inmates.
Zambrano said Honduran lawmakers have also studied security models in Chile, Colombia, Argentina, the United States and Spain. He said the aim is a broad model built from several foreign experiences, not a copy of one country.
La Prensa reported that human rights defenders have voiced reservations about transferring another country’s strategy to Honduras. They argue that legal and institutional differences between the two countries must be taken into account.
What It Means for You
Washington designated MS-13 a foreign terrorist organisation in February 2025, and added Barrio 18 to the list in September 2025. Under US law, knowingly giving material support to such groups is a federal crime.
Tougher Honduran penalties for the same gangs bring the two countries’ approaches closer together. They also matter for Hondurans returned from the United States, a flow covered in Honduras Returned Migrants Reach 36,658 by September.
For travellers, investors and families with ties to Honduras, the gang reform does not change entry or business rules. Security operations against gang structures are continuing, as seen in Honduras Operation Shield Holds Minors as ‘Terrorists’.
For background on the country and its government, see Honduras Explained 2026: The Country, Its Politics, Its Economy and What to Watch. Our profile Who Is Nasry Asfura, the President of Honduras in 2026 covers the president behind the security push.
What Is Not Known
It is not known what the Supreme Court will say about the tattoo clause or the longer detention period. It is also unclear whether all parties in Congress will back the final text on Monday.
No date has been set for the trip to El Salvador, and Salvadoran authorities have not publicly confirmed it. How quickly the new rules would be applied in courts and prisons has not been explained.
Background: Brazil Tax Reform 2026 Replaces Five Taxes With Two VATs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Honduras gang reform?
It is a package of changes to the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code aimed at groups Honduras classes as terrorist. It would bar people convicted of terrorist association from parole and early release.
When will Congress vote on it?
Congressional leaders said on Wednesday 14 October that they aim to approve it on Monday 19 October. The timing could still slip if the Supreme Court’s opinion is delayed or the debate takes longer.
Which groups does Honduras treat as terrorist?
The National Defence and Security Council has classified the MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs and the Cártel del Diablo as terrorist organisations. The president of Congress said the list could grow.
Will Honduras copy El Salvador’s CECOT prison?
No decision has been made, and Congress is still waiting for El Salvador to confirm a date for a visit. The president of Congress said lawmakers want to learn from several countries’ models.
Does the reform affect US travellers?
It does not change entry, visa or business rules for US citizens. Visitors may see more police and military operations in areas where gangs are active.
Sources: Proceso Digital, 14 October 2026 · Proceso Digital, 14 October 2026 (El Salvador visit) · El Heraldo, 14 October 2026 · El Heraldo, 14 October 2026 (CECOT) · El Heraldo, 7 October 2026 · El Heraldo, 28 September 2026 · La Prensa, 14 October 2026 · US Federal Register, Barrio 18 designation, 24 September 2025 · US Treasury OFAC alert on cartels designated as terrorist organisations, March 2025
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief