The director of the National Police, Gustavo Sánchez, stated on Thursday that the measure is the best tool to guarantee the protection of lives and reduction of homicide incidences.

“We appreciate the recommendations received from human rights organizations in Honduras, so that comprehensive measures are promoted that holistically address violence and its multidimensional effects on Honduran citizens,” he said.

The authority referred to the achievements during the validity of the state of emergency, which in his words, are not measured by arrests or by the execution of arrest warrants, but by the protection of life and the decrease in homicide rate.

The Government decreed a state of emergency in the main cities of the country on December 6th, and then extended it at the beginning of this year for another 45 days, with the purpose of fighting criminal gangs and crime of extortion.

According to the police, the operations are intended to prevent and tackle disturbances of peace and security, the consummation of extortion crimes, murders, robberies, drug trafficking and kidnappings.

Official data indicates that, thanks to the state of exception imposed by the Honduran Executive, some 650 members of the maras were captured in one month.

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