The Honduran Congress is moving forward with reforms to declare gangs as terrorist organizations and to increase penalties for extortion.

The National Congress approved the Special Law to Facilitate the Return and Protection of the Assets of Honduran Migrants and Their Families. The National Congress is preparing to discuss and approve a package of criminal law reforms aimed at strengthening the fight against organized crime in Honduras, including the possible declaration of gangs as terrorist groups and the tightening of penalties for crimes related to extortion. These reforms, proposed at the request of the Ministry of Security, have already advanced to the second legislative debate and could be approved next week if they receive the minimum support of 65 deputies in the plenary session. The initiative includes modifications to eight articles of the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, amid growing concern about violence linked to criminal structures dedicated to extortion, contract killings, and territorial control in various regions of the country. One of the most significant changes focuses on the crime of extortion. According to the proposed reforms to Article 273 of the Criminal Code, the penalties would increase from 15 to 20 years in prison for those found guilty of this crime. In addition, the bill establishes a sentence of life imprisonment in cases where the victim dies as a result of acts related to extortion, which would represent one of the most severe toughenings of the Honduran penal system in recent years. The package of measures seeks to strengthen the State's ability to investigate and sanction members of gangs under anti-terrorism laws. Archive image. REUTERS/Fredy Rodríguez. Gangs and criminal groups under the figure of terrorism. Another key point of the legislative package is the reform of Article 587 of the Criminal Code, through which certain criminal structures could be formally classified as terrorist organizations. If the amendment is approved, the State would have greater legal tools to investigate, prosecute, and sanction members of gangs under legal frameworks used against terrorist organizations and transnational organized crime. Members of the Security Commission of the Congress argue that the reforms seek to respond to the increase in violent crimes and strengthen the operational capabilities of security and justice authorities. Deputy José Sabillón, a member of the legislative commission, emphasized that the measures are part of a strategy aimed at addressing crimes that continue to affect merchants, transporters, and citizens in various urban areas of the country. The bill also incorporates new provisions designed to facilitate criminal investigations. Article three of the report establishes that companies and public and private organizations will be obliged to provide information requested by the competent authorities when there are investigations related to criminal structures or serious crimes. The proposal has generated debate among legal sectors and human rights defenders, who insist on the need to guarantee clear judicial controls to avoid possible abuses or violations of fundamental rights. Criminal lawyer Hermes Ramírez warned that any expansion of investigative powers must remain within constitutional limits and respect procedural guarantees. Legal sectors and human rights defenders demand judicial controls to prevent excesses in the use of the new investigative powers. FILE PHOTO: REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez. The legislative package also includes amendments to Article 237-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, related to protection measures for vulnerable groups. Although the Congress has not yet detailed the full scope of those changes, organizations linked to security and justice indicate that the reforms could strengthen protection mechanisms for victims and witnesses in processes related to organized crime. Nelson Castañeda, Director of Security and Justice of the Association for a More Just Society (ASJ), emphasized that any criminal law reform must be accompanied by institutional strengthening, scientific research, and internal cleansing within the organizations responsible for enforcing the law. The reforms are taking place in a context where Honduras continues to face high levels of violence associated with gangs, criminal groups, and extortion networks that operate mainly in urban areas. In recent years, various governments have implemented states of emergency, military operations, and the tightening of penalties as part of public safety strategies, although experts have warned that solutions also require social investment, prevention, and strengthening of the judicial system. While the Congress prepares for the final vote, the debate continues between those who believe that more severe measures against organized crime are necessary and those who warn about the possible risks of excessively expanding the State's punitive power.