The Head of State added that she will put order and apply a strong hand in Honduran prisons, even though she recognizes the efforts of the Police and the Secretary of Security, in reducing homicides and corruption, nevertheless, she will vigorously intervene in the prisons.

She assured that she will transform the prisons of the country into rehabilitation centers and not into schools for crime and torture as she inherited them.

“The intervention will be harsh, but respectful of humanity, of the defendants, their families and defenders. Crime is fought through prevention, not only through punishment,” she wrote.

According to the director of the National Penitentiary Institute, Otoniel Castillo, the events were a response of the criminal structures to the recent measures adopted by the National Defense and Security Council against gangs.

He also stated that the Secretary of Security and the National Police are committed to zero tolerance and the plan drawn up by the Government to combat organized crime.

One inmate died and six others were wounded on Saturday as a result of the shootings between members of the 18 and the MS-13 Salvatrucha gang in the penitentiary centers of the departments of Santa Barbara, El Paraíso and Francisco Morazán.

jrr/llp/nmr/ybv