State of exception extended in Honduras

The director of the Honduran National Police, Gustavo Sánchez, assured this Monday that an extension of the state of emergency is planned in the cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula to help contain the high crime rates.

“The state of exception is a useful tool for the prosecution of crime. We are attacking criminal structures,” Sánchez asserted, adding that one of the axes against extortion is to “enhance security and controls in the prison system,” according to Radio HRN.

On the other hand, Sánchez has assured that by the end of January there will be close to a thousand police officers on the Honduran streets to collaborate with security tasks. “There is still a lot to do, but we understand that we are on the right path,” he explained regarding the homicide rate, according to the Proceso Digital news portal.

The state of exception, which expires on January 6, covers some of the neighborhoods in the cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula where the gangs have been intensifying their criminal activities, such as robberies and extortion.

The rule is reminiscent of a similar one announced by one of its also troubled neighbors, El Salvador, where its president, Nayib Bukele, decreed a state of emergency that has been going on for more than seven months, amid criticism and complaints from international organizations for alleged Human Rights violations.

With information from Gaceta de la Iberosfera