The president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, has extended by decree for 45 more days the state of emergency imposed to facilitate the fight against organized crime. It implies the suspension of most of the constitutional guarantees.
The measure is thus extended until February 20, according to the presidential decree published in the official gazette. Thus, the total number of municipalities in which the National Police and other security agencies may carry out special operations under the conditions foreseen in the decree is extended to 75.
According to the publication of ‘La Gaceta’, the official gazette states that the suspension of constitutional guarantees «has yielded very good results in combating the inherited criminality that was inserted at the highest levels of the Public Administration, so it is appropriate to decree for a new period».
The official balance indicates that during the period of the state of exception at least 650 gang members have been arrested. Likewise, there has been a 60 percent drop in extortion complaints and no complaints of police abuse have been registered.
The rule is reminiscent of a similar one imposed by one of its also troubled neighbors, El Salvador, where its president, Nayib Bukele, decreed a state of emergency that has lasted for more than seven months, amid criticism and complaints from international organizations for alleged human rights violations.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
