Panama Jack

The Honduran presidential elections are in full swing, and according to several spanish-language press reports, Porfirio Lobo is the more favored candidate. The main issue seems to be crime, with Lobo favoring reintroducing the death penalty while his main oposition candidate, Manuel Zelaya, simply advocating a tougher stance on crime.

Crime shapes debate in Honduras Election

According to the Spanish language articles, some of the "maras"(gangs) are threatening a war against the government if the death penalty is implimented. Already, there have been reports of human heads appearing in some public parks with written threats against outgoing President Maduro and candidate Porfirio Lobo.

The death penalty was eliminated in Honduras in 1946. Honduras is the third poorest country in the Americas, after Haiti and Nicaragua. 85% of the population is Catholic, and 80% is poor.

Since 2002, the government declared a war against gangs, which it has clasified as "criminal businesses" and passed an anti-gang law which provides up to 30 years jail sentences to gang members.

In 2004 the Honduran government met unsuccessfully with mara leaders to try to disarm them. They are considered by the population to be the prime cause of insecurity in the country, and for this reason, some have started to view Honduras as a "criminal state."

Spanish language articles:


Favorito presidencia de Honduras favorece pena de muerte

Pandillas Honduras preven guerra si se reestablece pena de muerte