Death Toll Rises to 46 in Honduras Prison Riot as Military Police Take Control

The death toll in a riot at a women’s prison in Honduras has reached 46, prompting President Xiomara Castro’s office to announce that the country’s military police will assume control over most of the penal system. The incident is the latest in a series of deadly prison events in Honduras, prompting the government to expand a state of exception and designate remote islands as a penal colony for highly dangerous gang leaders. Concerned relatives of inmates gathered at the Centro Femenino de Adaptacion Social, seeking information about the well-being of their incarcerated family members.

The Centro Femenino de Adaptacion Social, a women’s penitentiary located near the capital city of Tegucigalpa, experienced gang violence leading to the death of 46 individuals. Reports indicate that most victims were burned to death, some were shot, and seven others are receiving treatment at a state hospital.

The identification of victims is challenging due to the extent of their injuries, with many bodies charred or reduced to ash. Workers at Tegucigalpa’s main public morgue are struggling to accommodate the increasing number of remains, while relatives implore officials to release a list of the victims involved in the violence.

President Xiomara Castro acknowledged that the riot was planned by gang members in collaboration with prison guards. She pledged to implement “drastic measures” to address the deaths and bring those responsible to justice. The government has declared a state of exception and handed control of the penal system to Honduras’ military police. Additionally, plans are underway to transform remote islands into a penal colony to incarcerate highly dangerous gang leaders.