41 women die after brutal prison riot in Honduras - News Block

A devastating riot at a Honduran women’s prison has reportedly led to the deaths of 41 inmates.

Heartbreakingly, officials point out that most of the victims burned to death and blame the violence of powerful gangs, also known as gangs, for the tragedy. gangs.

26 of the victims were allegedly burned to death

According to AP News, the matter unfolded Tuesday at a prison located in Tamara, Honduras, about 20 miles northwest of the country’s capital, Tegucigalpa.

Yuri Mora, a police spokesperson, reportedly stated: “Forensic teams that are removing bodies confirm that they have counted 41.”

It should be added that 26 of the victims burned to death and at least seven inmates are receiving medical treatment.

As for the cause of the violence, Julissa Villanueva, director of the country’s prison system, says it was a reaction to the measures officers are “taking against organized crime” behind bars.

However, Villanueva states, “We will not back down.”

Human rights expert Joaquín Mejía tells AP News that an offensive against the issue of gangs the smuggling of weapons—including “grenades and firearms”—into prisons is one such measure. However, Mejía points out that the violent riots show that such efforts have been unsuccessful.

41 Women Shot, Stabbed or Burned to Death in Honduras Prison Riot – President Blames Street Gang

At least seven inmates are also receiving treatment at a hospital in Tegucigalpa after 26 victims burned to death and the rest were shot or stabbed to death. pic.twitter.com/5vRyaQyffs

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The president of Honduras says that the riot was “planned by maras“

honduran president xiomara castro blame the deadly riot on violent gangs known as gangs.

In fact, he proclaimed that the affair was “planned by gangs with the knowledge and acquiescence of the security authorities”.

For context, Bloomberg Línea details that the gangs they began as Central American street gangs in the United States during the 1980s. Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), “one of the most brutal street gangs in the world,” according to BBC News, is a well-known example.

As Central American gang members began to be deported to their home countries, they took the mara lifestyle with them. Eventually it spread, and they have “established themselves in northern Central America as an alternative power to the state.”

Ultimately, the recent prison situation leaves the families of inmates concerned about the well-being of their loved ones.

One mother, Azucena Martínez, said that she and other parents did not know if their children were alive or dead.