At least 41 dead in Honduras women's prison fire, violence

• Most of victims died of fire;  bullet-riddled bodies also discovered.
• Investigation underway to find out who started prison gang war.
• New security minister appointed, as govt tries to control damage.

A massive blaze that erupted after violent clashes at a women's prison in Honduras has killed at least 41 people, police said, and gutted a part of the correctional facility.

The CEFAS prison in Tamara held about 900 inmates. Most of the victims died in the fire, while some bodies were riddled with bullets, according to police.

 An investigation is underway to determine which gang launched the started the violence.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro expressed solidarity with grieving family members and announced a state of emergency. 

She also said she would take drastic measures to hold security leaders to account. 

Security minister Ramon Sabillon was dismissed and replaced by Gustavo Sanchez, who was serving as the director of the national police. 

The situation at the prison is a reminder of the ongoing problem of gang violence in Honduras. 

The country has one of the highest murder rates in the world, and gangs are a major contributor to the violence. It's important that the Honduran government takes steps to address the issue of gang violence and improve the conditions in its prisons. 

Women in prison are particularly vulnerable to violence, and it's vital that their safety is ensured. 

It's unfortunate that many young people in Honduras have lost hope for a better future and feel that their only option is to migrate to the United States. 

Honduras has become a major transit country for drugs, particularly Colombian cocaine, that are destined for the United States. 

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was extradited to the US on drug charges in April 2022, just over a year after his brother Tony was sentenced to life in prison in New York. 

US prosecutors allege that Hernandez turned Honduras into a "narco-state," with the military, police, and civilians involved in drug trafficking. 

The former national police chief, Juan Carlos Bonilla, was also sent to the United States to stand trial for allegedly overseeing drug trafficking operations on behalf of Hernandez. 

The new leftist president, Xiomara Castro, has pledged to tackle criminal gangs and temporarily lifted certain constitutional guarantees to allow the police to make arrests without warrants.

 One of the objectives of the crackdown is to curb the rampant extortion by gangs, which Castro says is one of the main reasons for migration and the closure of small and medium-sized businesses in Honduras. 

It is important that the Honduran government takes steps to address the issue of drug trafficking and improve the economic prospects of its citizens, so that they have hope for a better future in their own country.