Honduras declares a national security emergency to “erradicate extortion”

by EFE

Tegucigalpa - The Honduran government headed by Xiomara Castro declared on Thursday "the war on extortion," a scourge that in this century has left hundreds dead and many micro, small, and medium-sized businesses in ruins.

"This government of democratic socialism declares war on extortion, just as from the first day - on January 27 - we have declared war on corruption, impunity and drug trafficking," Castro announced during the announcement of the Strategy. Comprehensive against Extortion and Related Crimes, by the Executive through the Secretary of Security.

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He added that his commitment is to provide all the security that the Honduran people demand and to restore the dignity lost in the previous regime (twelve years of the now opposition National Party).

The president stressed that during the previous twelve years, the last eight at the head of Juan Orlando Hernández, a cartel penetrated the police and military institutions and structures, increasing violence, extortion and the formation of criminal organizations without limits.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro waves during the inauguration ceremony for Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Bogota, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. Fernando Vergara / AP

“Product of the impunity in which we have lived, these groups expanded their scope.

It is a crime to forget the tragic events that have made the Honduran people cry and suffer so much, extortion is the sinister result of the existence of organized crime in Honduras, which is based in different areas of our country,” he stressed.

He also said that extortion is one of the main causes of insecurity, migration, displacement, loss of freedom, violent deaths, and the closure of small and medium-sized businesses.

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According to the president, the Comprehensive Strategy against Extortion and Related Crimes, announced today by the National Police, through eight lines of action, will have the support of her Government.

Castro's announcement comes after this week owners of hundreds of urban transport buses in Tegucigalpa paralyzed their units in protest of extortion, in some cases by up to three criminal gangs.

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"The National Police has all my support, it has all the support to fight crime, extortion, drug trafficking and dismantle criminal organizations, even to identify and capture the white-collar leaders," said the head of the Honduran Executive.

He added that in terms of security there will be an investigation and financial intelligence system for the tracking, detection and deactivation of money laundering and assets from organized, transnational and national crime.

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“The National Police must recover, in the shortest possible time, the public spaces assaulted and controlled by organized crime and its gangs,” Castro emphasized.

Criminal violence, including extortion, poverty, drug trafficking, high unemployment rates, corruption and injustice, are some of the scourges that most affect Honduras, which has close to ten million inhabitants.

Of the overall population of Honduras, more than 70% are poor, according to official sources.