Honduran Rackets Get More Violent
Organized crime is ruthlessly terrorizing people in Honduras, effectively disorienting and paralyzing them, Honduran Security Minister Alvaro Romero denounced on Thursday.

The official warned the population to be vigilant and calm, not expose themselves to danger, avoid walking the streets late at night and to stay away from dangerous places.

"Honduras faces an escalation of transnational crime and we need urgent security measures to halt the situation," Romero pointed out.

In 2006, Honduras reported 3,118 homicides, an average of nine murders every day.

Last Saturday alone, 36 people were killed, and four police chiefs have been assassinated so far this week.

Congress President Roberto Micheletti said that most legislators are worried about the lack of viable alternatives to solve the problem.

Human Rights Commissioner in Honduras Ramon Custodio noted that the homicide rate is 23.1 per every 100,000 inhabitants, higher than the average 19.3 in the Americas and 8.8 in the world. These figures were corroborated by the World Health Organization.

The Honduran coordinator of the Committee of Relatives of Missing Prisoners, Berta Oliva, called to prioritize the purge of the Secretariat of Security, the Public Ministry and the Supreme Court of Justice.