Officials in Honduras have revealed a set of initiatives aimed at curbing organized crime, which include the establishment of a 20,000-capacity "mega-prison" and classifying gang members as "terrorists" to face joint trials.

In a televised national address late Friday, President Xiomara Castro said the "crime solution plan" addresses a "security emergency" and public concerns over rising violence.

Surrounded by the National Defense and Security Council members, Castro emphasized that the armed forces and police must be deployed to "immediately execute operations in regions heavily affected by gang-related crimes like contract killings, drug and weapon trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and money laundering."

The initiative to construct the 20,000-inmate "Emergency Reclusion Center" between the remote eastern departments of Olancha and Gracias a Dios will significantly boost Honduras's prison capacity.

The authorities also mentioned that the Honduran Congress is urged to amend the penal code so that drug dealers and criminal gang members committing specific offenses, as outlined by Castro, can be labeled as "terrorists" and prosecuted collectively.

Hector Gustavo Sanchez, the national police chief, announced that a list of "masterminds, leaders, and gang affiliates" has been distributed, and their immediate apprehension has been mandated.

Operations will also target the eradication of marijuana and coca leaf plantations—the cornerstone of cocaine production—as well as facilities used to process illegal narcotics.

The new policies mirror those in neighboring El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele's anti-gang efforts, despite attracting criticism from human rights advocates, have rendered him one of Latin America's most popular leaders.

Honduras declared a state of emergency in December 2022, suspending parts of the constitution to stem a surge in crime attributed to gangs. The nation's homicide rate last year was 34 per 100,000 residents, nearly six times the global average.

Renowned international human rights organization Amnesty International previously cautioned that the stringent security measures adopted to combat gang violence have "triggered a spike in abuses and deaths" and endangered "everyone's safety."