Inmates Massacred as Gang Warfare Escalates in Honduras Women’s Prison

Tamara, Honduras – In a tragic turn of events, a fight between rival gangs erupted into a devastating riot at a women’s prison in Honduras. The clash occurred on Tuesday, resulting in the loss of numerous lives. The prison, located in Tamara, just 30 miles outside the capital city of Tegucigalpa, became a chaotic battleground as Barrio 18 and MS-13, two notorious gangs, collided within the facility.

According to Sandra Rodríguez Vargas, the assistant commissioner for Honduras’ prison system, the violence escalated rapidly after attackers overpowered security guards at 8 a.m. Tuesday, granting them access to an adjoining cell block. The instigators proceeded to start a fire and unleashed a horrifying massacre upon fellow inmates, wielding weapons with malicious intent.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro expressed her outrage at the “monstrous murder” of 46 inmates, squarely blaming the street gangs for the bloodshed. As authorities assessed the aftermath of the confrontation, dozens of bodies were discovered. Shockingly, some victims had no affiliation with the rival gangs that triggered the incident.

Yuri Mora, the spokesperson for Honduras’ national police investigation agency, disclosed that 26 inmates perished in the flames, while others succumbed to gunshot wounds or stabbings. Several inmates received treatment at a hospital in the capital, but most tragically lost their lives later in the day.

Castro vowed to implement “drastic measures” after concluding that the riot had been “planned by maras (street gangs) with the knowledge and acquiescence of security authorities.” Puzzlingly, officials remained uncertain about how the gangs managed to smuggle weapons into the prison, raising concerns about security protocols.

As the death toll continues to rise, Castro expressed her solidarity with the grieving families and pledged additional efforts to combat organized crime and dismantle the dangerous influence exerted by gangs within the prison system. This devastating riot marks the deadliest incident at a female detention center in Central America since 2017 when a fire claimed the lives of 41 girls in a Guatemalan prison. Furthermore, it stands as Honduras’ worst prison disaster since 2012 when 361 inmates died in a fire.

Officials have characterized the deaths as a “terrorist act,” acknowledging that gangs exert control not only within this prison but also in others across the country. Julissa Villanueva, the head of Honduras’ penal system, speculated that the riot may have been a response to government raids on prisons aimed at undermining the gangs’ control and eliminating security guards involved in corruption.

Villanueva affirmed that the government would not relent in its efforts, despite the substantial resistance encountered. The battle to regain control over the prison system and eradicate the influence of powerful gangs remains a critical challenge.

As the investigation into this tragic event unfolds, authorities are determined to bring those responsible to justice and implement comprehensive measures to prevent such horrific incidents from recurring.

Source Fox News