La Tolva prison is the other facility under military control. Tamara prison, where approximately 4,200 inmates are housed in a facility designed for 2,500, is among the two prisons that have been handed over to the military police. The military police have taken over two of the most high-security prisons in the country. The military’s assumption of control is seen as a necessary measure to tackle these deep-rooted problems and create a safer environment for both inmates and prison staff. Honduras has long grappled with the pervasive issues of overcrowding, corruption, and gang influence in its prison facilities.

The scale of the tragedy and the ongoing security concerns prompted President Xiomara Castro to make the announcement last week, signalling a departure from the previous approach of demilitarizing security. The decision to involve the military comes in the wake of a recent gang dispute that erupted at a women’s detention centre, claiming the lives of numerous inmates. Following a deadly riot that resulted in the tragic deaths of dozens of inmates, the Honduran military has assumed control of the country’s prisons in a bid to restore order and address the persistent challenges of violence and criminal activities within the penitentiary system.

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