A riot at a women’s prison in Honduras left at least 41 women dead, with President Xiomara Castro blaming “mara” street gangs for the violence.
Gruesome details: The victims were either burned to death, shot, or stabbed during the riot at the Tamara prison, 30 miles northwest of the Honduran capital.
* At least seven inmates were being treated at a hospital in Tegucigalpa.
Cause of the riot: Honduran President Xiomara Castro claimed in a social media post that the riot was “planned by maras with the knowledge and acquiescence of security authorities.”
* Barrio 18 gang members were reportedly responsible for the violence, with relatives of inmates saying they feared the gang’s control.
Gang control inside prisons: Inmates have been known to set their own rules and sell prohibited goods, with gangs wielding broad control.
* Smuggled guns and other weapons have been a recurring problem in Honduran prisons.
Historical context: This riot is considered the worst tragedy at a female detention center in Central America since 2017 when 41 girls died in a fire at a Guatemala shelter for troubled youths.
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