Honduras' National Congress announces security reforms inspired by El Salvador

Tomás Zambrano announced that Honduras is seeking to adapt security measures from El Salvador through a cooperation agreement between the two legislative bodies. (PHOTO: National Congress) Honduras is studying the possibility of incorporating new legal and penitentiary tools inspired by El Salvador's security policies, after Honduran lawmakers began outreach with that country's legislative authorities to learn about the measures implemented by President Nayib Bukele's government against criminal structures. The president of the National Congress, Tomás Zambrano, reported that the Legislative Branch is working on a cooperation agreement with the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly, with the purpose of exchanging experiences and evaluating which provisions could be adapted to the Honduran legal system. The Honduran delegation is made up of members of the Security and Defense committees, who held meetings with Salvadoran legislative representatives to learn about the procedures applied in matters of public security, criminal justice, and penitentiary administration. One of the central points of the visit will be the tour of the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (Cecot), a Salvadoran prison intended for individuals considered highly dangerous and linked to criminal structures. The Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (Cecot) is part of the visit's agenda, which seeks to learn about the penitentiary model implemented by Nayib Bukele. (Photo: Courtesy of the Press Secretariat). According to Zambrano, learning how that facility operates will make it possible to evaluate alternatives for improving Honduras's penitentiary infrastructure, including the construction of new modules and facilities intended to house inmates classified as dangerous. The head of the Legislative Branch noted that Congress is preparing a series of reforms related to investigation procedures, the detention of suspects, and the conditions of confinement for individuals linked to maras and gangs. Among the measures under analysis is the extension of detention periods, a proposal that would modify the time available to authorities in certain actions related to criminal investigations. Possible changes are also being studied to provisions on searches without a judicial warrant in cases linked to criminal groups, as well as restrictions on certain penitentiary benefits for people convicted of crimes related to these structures. Among the proposals are extending detention periods and reviewing the legal conditions for carrying out searches in investigations related to criminal groups. (Photo: Archive / REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez) The proposals must undergo legal review to determine their scope and the conditions under which they could be applied in Honduras. Their eventual approval would involve discussing current procedures and the corresponding legal guarantees. Another matter mentioned by Zambrano is the regulation of tattoos associated with maras and gangs. The congressman clarified that the initiative would be aimed at symbols related to those criminal organizations and not at artistic expressions, personal designs, or family tattoos. The distinction seeks to delimit the scope of the proposal, although its concrete application criteria will depend on the wording that is ultimately presented and debated in the Legislature. The delegation also plans to examine Honduran provisions on the criminal responsibility of minors, taking Salvadoran legislation as a reference. This topic is part of the exchange of experiences between the two countries and opens the discussion on the differences between their legal frameworks for prosecuting adolescents linked to criminal activities. The proposal on tattoos seeks to regulate symbols associated with criminal structures, according to Tomás Zambrano, who ruled out that the initiative would cover artistic or family designs. (Photo: Archive / REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez) Zambrano stated that he expects to receive the opinion of the Supreme Court of Justice on the reforms that the National Congress is preparing. With that legal opinion, lawmakers will be able to move forward with the discussion of the proposals and determine which ones could be submitted for consideration and eventual approval. The construction of penitentiary infrastructure is also among the matters that Congress seeks to examine during the outreach with El Salvador. Zambrano indicated that the purpose is to identify measures that can respond to Honduras's needs, without yet definitively committing to the construction of a new prison under the Salvadoran model. On the other hand, the president of the Congress clarified that the resources from funds linked to citizens affected by the Koriun case would not be incorporated into the financing scheme announced for the security institutions.