Without a doubt, the president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, has significantly increased her popularity, by keeping her word to address important areas that lead to the well-being of the population in general, not only the millions of marginalized people left behind by previous governments as unpopular as they were corrupt. .
His most recent decision to attack crime with all the forces at the service of the State, mainly drug trafficking and the corruption that is masked behind the ruling party, could align with the policy followed by the Salvadoran president, Nayib Bukele, with great influence among the population, with the difference that Xiomara attacks both the causes and consequences of evil.
As has been repeated many times, Bukele has had great success in combating crime, although he only addressed the consequences, because, he said, there was neither time nor money to go to the causes, in the midst of a maelstrom of crimes that was exterminating the Salvadoran population.
In this context, Bukele advised the far-right Javier Milei – one of his fans, according to the Argentine libertarian – not to continue in his country what he has done in El Salvador, because the circumstances are different, but the aforementioned sent his minister of Interior to receive advice from the Central American ruler, while in Ecuador, the president, Daniel Noboa, is building a mega prison on lands usurped from the indigenous community, while, for no reason, as is his custom, he described the Salvadoran businessman as arrogant descendant of Palestinian.
DIFFERENCE
Relations between Xiomara and her Salvadoran colleague have been good so far, but, I repeat, the Honduran’s actions differ in several ways, regardless of whether she declares open war on crime and corruption.
Thus, Xiomara announced radical decisions against criminal organizations, a megaplan with at least 14 measures adopted together with the Defense and Security Council, which she chairs, to confront the crime wave.
He instructed all justice operators to “immediately plan and execute interventions in the municipalities with the highest incidence of crimes such as hitmen, drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, arms trafficking, illicit association and money laundering” which, he assured, are committed by “maras, gangs and organized crime gangs.”
In this regard, Secretary of Security Gustavo Sánchez announced that the immediate arrest of the identified masterminds, leaders and members of gangs, criminal structures and drug traffickers has been ordered.
In this plan, the National Defense and Security Council also approved the immediate construction of an Emergency Detention Center in an unpopulated area between the departments of Gracias a Dios and Olancho, in the northeastern part of Honduras, which will have capacity for 20,000 people and will serve to transfer prisoners who are confined in other centers and prosecuted for the crimes mentioned above.
In addition, it was determined to begin in two weeks the process to build a maximum security prison on Isla del Cisne, an area in the Honduran Caribbean Sea.
NECESSARY TO REFORM THE CRIMINAL CODE
To carry out these measures, the president of the National Congress Luis Redondo, who is part of the Defense and Security Council, announced that parliament must reform the Penal Code to classify as “terrorists people who belong to maras, gangs and gangs.” of organized crime who commit crimes of hitmen, drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, arms trafficking, illicit association and money laundering.
In addition, he said that penalties will be increased for those who commit crimes against the life and physical integrity of security and justice operators.
“The Criminal Procedure Code will also be reformed so that preventive detention is applied to all people in the process of trial for the crimes established in this emergency plan,” added Redondo.
He announced that Congress will submit laws for approval to regulate the sale of cell phone SIM cards and will reform the Central Bank law “to regulate the electronic transfer and payment service, in order to control atypical actions typical of the crime of extortion and kidnapping that use electronic wallets.”
Within these measures, it was also agreed to begin the process of using electronic bracelets or other technical means for the custody of defendants who enjoy parole.
Unlike what happened with Bukele, no organization that claims to defend human rights has dared to attack the President of Honduras.
Let us remember that in November 2022 the President had already declared a national security emergency to begin what she called a “war against extortion” in Honduras, and in June 2023 a security crisis occurred, after a prison revolt that left 46 women dead.
Xiomara, despite receiving a country in ruins after 12 years of governments submissive to neoliberalism, has fought against poverty and faced challenges.
Despite a debt of 20 billion dollars, he eliminated trusts and created a single collection fund to better manage public resources.
It generated tens of thousands of jobs, supporting micro and small businesses, industrial and technological development, and the countryside.
She implemented subsidies on fuel and food, created a Women’s Secretariat and is now engaged in the great task of preventing Honduras from ceasing to be considered a Narco-State.
