Tragedy in Honduras: At least 41 “burned” inmates die after confrontation between gangs

Photo: Gustavo Amador / EFE

One of the worst prison tragedies in Honduras shocked the country, after a confrontation between gangs left 41 inmates dead so faralthough the authorities fear that the number will increase.

After the tragedy at the Women’s Center for Social Adaptation (Cefas), President Xiomara Castro regretted the massacre and assured that she “will take drastic measures” at a time when she has designed a policy similar to that of her neighbor Nayib Bukele to deal with violence. from the gangs

“Shocked by the monstrous murder of women in Cefas, planned by gangs in full view and patience of security authorities. My solidarity with family. I summon the Minister of Security and the president of the Audit Commission to render accounts,” said the president.

According to information released by CNN, the victims were being held at the Women’s Center for Social Adaptation, located some 20 kilometers from Tegucigalpa.

In addition, the spokesman for the Public Ministry, Yuri Mora, commented that the prisoners died “mostly burned and others shot” and although the official did not give details about the origin of the incident, relatives of the victims attributed the violence to a confrontation between inmates from rival gangs.

Despite this, The president of an association of relatives of prisoners, Delma Ordóñez, said that during the early hours of the morning there was a confrontation between members of the rival gangs Barrio 18 and the Mara Salvatrucha MS-13 in the prisonwhere there are about 900 inmates, despite an optimal capacity of 300.

For her part, the Deputy Minister of Security of Honduras, Julissa Villanueva, reported that the government declared an “emergency” in the prison and called for the intervention of the police, military and firefighters.

“We are not going to tolerate acts of vandalism or irregularities in this prison,” he warned.