Honduras' Prisons Plagued by Deadly Violence and Emergency Powers

Honduras will hand control of most of its penal system to the military police for a year, expand a state of exception, and give the armed forces a greater role in security efforts nationwide, following a deadly prison riot. The government will also turn islands into a penal colony for "highly dangerous" gang leaders. The riot, which claimed nearly 50 lives, was attributed to an organized attack by gang members conducted with guards' knowledge. The clash likely began in retaliation to recent government measures cracking down on corruption and gang control from within prison walls.