The Honduran government on Friday extended emergency powers that suspend some constitutional rights until the end of May, as part of an anti-gang push implemented by leftist President Xiomara Castro in the Central American country’s biggest cities.
Earlier this week, the Castro government deployed soldiers across the country to fight violent criminal groups.
This is the third extension, this time for another 45 days, of the so-called state of emergency that will now expire on May 21, the government said in a statement.
The anti-crime policy applies to 123 local districts covering the largest population centers and allows authorities to restrict freedom of movement and assembly, as well as search homes and make arrests without a warrant.
«This legal measure has made it possible for the security authorities to capture more than a hundred members of criminal organizations,» the statement added.
The decision to pursue the policy underscores a change of course on the part of Castro, who previously criticized the role of the military in past administrations and vowed to «demilitarize citizen security» during his successful 2021 presidential campaign.