Honduras sends military police to tame drug violence as vote looms
Honduras sends military police to tame drug violence as vote looms
Source: Reuters - Tue, 15 Oct 2013 02:16 AM
By Gustavo Palencia
TEGUCIGALPA, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Honduras ordered 1,000 military police onto the streets of its most violent cities on Monday, as a presidential election dominated by debate over how to tackle the wave of drug killings approaches in just over a month.
This first deployment of a new military-style police force marks the latest tactic to curb an epidemic of drug violence that last year turned Honduras into the world's most murderous country with more than 85 homicides for every 100,000 people.
The Central American country has become a key staging point for drug shipments moving north from South America, and has been invaded by Mexican drug gangs.
In August, Congress authorized the creation the new force made up of 5,000 officers with military training. At the start of the year, the government had put 4,000 soldiers on the streets, but they have failed to end the killing.
More:
http://www.trust.org/item/20131015020553-l4aol/?source=search