Honduras Prison Riot Leaves At Least 41 Dead
On Tuesday, a deadly riot at a women's prison in Támara, about 30 miles northwest of Honduras' capital Tegucigalpa, left at least 41 women dead and seven more injured.
Facts
- On Tuesday, a deadly riot at a women's prison in Támara, about 30 miles northwest of Honduras' capital Tegucigalpa, left at least 41 women dead and seven more injured.1
- The fight is believed to have broken out between the rival Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gangs at the Centro Femenino de Adaptación Social women's prison.2
- It's reported that one gang involved in the clash set a cell alight. While some victims were shot or stabbed, most were reportedly burned to death.3
- Pres. Xiomara Castro vowed rigorous measures in the aftermath of the riot, which she claimed was planned by street gangs "with the knowledge and acquiescence of security authorities."4
- Her first move was to replace security minister Ramón Antonio Sabillón with national police head Gustavo Sánchez. The riot follows recent government measures — including raiding prisons — to reduce gang violence, extortion, and corruption in the country.5
- Tuesday's riot is one of the worst tragedies at a female detention center in Honduras after 361 inmates — most of whom had never been convicted or even charged with a crime — died in a fire at Comayagua Penitentiary in 2012.6
Sources: 1New York Post, 2CNN, 3BBC News, 4Independent, 5Reuters, and 6Guardian.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by TeleSUR English. The Honduran government has mobilized all its resources to restore control of the prison, demonstrating it will not tolerate terrorist actions carried out by organized crime in the penitentiary facilities. With a probe of the crime scene almost complete, justice for the victims is undoubtedly underway.
- Narrative B, as provided by InSight Crime. Violence has long spiraled out of control in Honduras' prisons, which have become a potent breeding ground for organized crime groups that can continue their criminal activities and exert control through violence without interference from officials. This tragedy is another example of the Honduran penitentiary authorities' lack of control over the country's prisons.
