How was the horrendous massacre of 46 prisoners in a women’s prison in Honduras

Since Monday it was already known that the situation in the National Women’s Penitentiary for Social Adaptation (PNFAS) of Honduras It was about to explode. That day, the inmates found out that the next day there would be a search. They would lose privileges such as televisions, microwaves and the administration of points of sale. What happened on Tuesday was a horrifying attack with firearms and arson that killed 46 inmates.

The prison is located at Tamara25 km north of Tegucigalpathe capital of Honduras. It houses female gang members Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) and 18th Quartercriminal groups that are enemies.

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According to the newspaper El Heraldo, Delma Ordóñez, president of the Association of Relatives of Deprived of Liberty, He stated on Tuesday that there was discomfort among the inmates because on Monday the audit commission had informed them that “it was going to deny that they continued to have televisions, electrical equipment, microwaves and that the people who had their businesses should close them.”

“This bothered them and it was the way they expressed themselves. I really don’t think that was the way,” she added.

Forensic personnel transport the bodies of several of the 46 women killed during a prison brawl. (Photo by Orlando SIERRA / AFP). (ORLANDO SIERRA /)

A chronology of the events prepared by the local newspaper La Prensa allows us to reconstruct what happened very early on Tuesday.

Shortly after 8 in the morning, the inmate members of the gang 18th Quarter they broke the padlocks of home 6, where they were hospitalized.

Armed with automatic pistols and a rifle, they advanced towards home 1, the place of confinement of the members of the Mara Salvatrucha.

At 8:05 in the morning, the criminals from Barrio 18 began shooting at their enemies, who were behind the bars. Many tried to escape to other environments in search of refuge, but were unable to do so because their ward was closed.

At the same time, the attackers also shot at those who were in home 2.

Ten minutes later the shooting stopped. But the horror did not end.

The location of the prison. (AFP).

“La Prensa” explained that in home 1 some 60 inmates shared the space. When the gang members arrived 18th Quarter that place was still locked up.

“The women could not get out, they screamed for help, others who did not belong to gangs ran to hide under their beds, but they were killed,” indicates La Prensa.

The attackers took mattresses to house 1 and set them on fire. Many of the victims’ bodies ended up charred.

The fire was put out by firefighters at 8:30 in the morning. It was only after that moment that the magnitude of the massacre began to be known.

In the afternoon, after a first assessment confirmed the death of 41 inmates, the president of Honduras, Xiomara Castrosaid she was “shocked” by the “monstrous murder of women (…) planned by gangs” and announced “drastic” measures.

After that reaction, the first thing he did was dismiss the Minister of Security, Ramon Sabillonand replace him with the director of the National Police, Gustavo Sanchez.

A woman cries while waiting for the body of her relative. (Photo by Orlando SIERRA / AFP). (ORLANDO SIERRA /)

This Wednesday, Elvia Argentina Valley, commissioner of the National Committee for the Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (conaprev), spoke to the local press and confirmed that in the attack also a large caliber weapon was used.

“There was talk that different weapons were used and that it was in different ways that the prisoners were killed, however, we do not know the number of weapons that were used but a number was used. AR-15 rifle″he stated.

He added that the permissiveness of the authorities makes it easier for these types of massacres to be committed in prisons. “What happened in PNFAS is for the authorities to investigate deeply what happened, because we must know that if there are weapons inside prisons it is because there are permissive authorities.”

After the massacre, the authorities searched the penal and found an arsenal of weapons including a mini uzi, several pistols and an assault rifle.

The weapons found in the Honduran women’s prison. (The Herald).

The government of Xiomara Castro it is carrying out a plan to control the country’s 26 prisons, which house some 20,000 inmates. That plan includes “real disarmament through permanent manual and electronic searches” and “total blocking of the telephone signal.” to prevent inmates from continuing to commit crimes from prisonsdetailed the AFP agency.

Castro appointed the Deputy Minister of Security, Julissa Villanuevaafter several clashes in four prisons left one dead and seven injured.

villanueva He said that the massacre in the women’s prison “is an attack against the government” for “the actions taken” against crime.

AFP recalled that last December, Xiomara Castro declared a state of emergency in the country to deal with gangs, a measure similar to those imposed by the government of Nayib Bukele in El Salvador more than a year ago.

Source: Elcomercio