Honduras imposes curfews following spate of deadly attacks

In response to a series of deadly attacks that claimed over 20 lives, the Honduran government has imposed curfews in two northern cities.

President Xiomara Castro disclosed via Twitter that a 15-day curfew is now in place in Choloma from 9 pm to 4 am, with a similar curfew set to start in San Pedro Sula from July 4. The President underscored the commencement of numerous operations, raids, capture missions, and checkpoints.

Further, the government is offering a $32,707 cash reward to anyone who can provide information that leads to the identification of those responsible for the killings in Choloma. Since December 2022, parts of Honduras have been under a partial state of emergency as the government battles violent gangs and escalating turf wars.

On Saturday night, a horrific attack took place in a Choloma billiard hall where armed men opened fire, killing 13 people and severely injuring another. A police spokesperson revealed that on the same day, 11 more people were murdered in separate incidents across the northern Valle de Sula zone, including San Pedro Sula.

Honduran government responds to violent attacks with curfews and reward offer. Photo courtesy of jorono from Pixabay.

In the face of this surge of violence, the newly appointed Security Minister, Gustavo Sanchez, announced plans to send a proposal to Congress to designate members of criminal structures, maras or gangs, as terrorists. He also informed the media that an additional 1,000 police and military personnel are being deployed to the Sula Valley, encompassing Choloma and San Pedro Sula.

The recent violence includes a chilling incident last week in which members of the infamous Barrio 18 gang massacred 46 women inmates in a Tamara town prison. The victims were subjected to gunfire, machete attacks, and then locked in their cells before being doused with flammable liquid.

Condemning these attacks as monstrous, President Xiomara Castro alleged that the maras, or street gangs, executed these crimes with the awareness and consent of security authorities. As part of their response, the Honduran government has declared that the Military of Police of Public Order (PMOP) will assume control of the country’s 21 prisons for a year, beginning July 21.