Honduras’ leftist Partido Libertad y Refundación (Libre) government led by President Xiomara Castro has announced 14 emergency measures to further tackle insecurity. This follows Castro’s declaration of a state of emergency in November 2022 to crack down on extortion and gangs [WR-22-48], which has remained in place since, and allows for the partial suspension of constitutional rights while increasing the role of the military. The latest measures, which include plans to construct a 20,000-capacity ‘mega prison’ and further bolster the military’s role in fighting organised crime, are the latest sign of Castro’s intent on replicating the controversial security policy pursued by El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, which in both cases have drawn major human rights concerns. However, the Honduran president has yet to boast the same success as her Salvadorean peer either in terms of reducing crime or attaining popular support.End of preview - This article contains approximately 1410 words.
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