Honduras militarizes its borders against gang members

Tegucigalpa. Within the framework of the emergency decreed last Thursday due to the increase in extortion, Honduras yesterday sent more than 600 military police to the border areas to combat gang members.

The members of the Public Order Military Police (PMOP), created in the previous government with troops chosen in battalions to carry out police functions, left the capital towards the borders with El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

“In compliance with the order issued by the President of the Republic and within the framework of the Comprehensive Security Plan, on Sunday more than 600 public order military police officers came out to reinforce security operations at border points,” the spokesperson reported. of the PMOP, Mario Rivera.

He explained that the reinforcements aim to “prevent the entry of members of criminal structures” from neighboring countries, especially El Salvador.

In El Salvador, the government of Nayib Bukele has declared a “war” on the gangs that has led to the arrest of some 58,000 people under an emergency regime, which has allowed arrests without a warrant since last March.

President Xiomara Castro declared a “national emergency” on Thursday, within the framework of a “Comprehensive Plan for the treatment of extortion and related crimes”, in the face of complaints from the public about an upturn in crimes during her government, which was installed in last January.