MEXICO CITY (AP) 鈥 An attempted prison break early Thursday in Honduras left two inmates dead and three injured, authorities said. The Latin American country has long been plagued by gang violence and overcrowded prisons.
According to officials, a total of 72 prisoners took part in the attempted escape from the men's prison in the town of Tamara, about 19 miles (31 kilometers) from the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa. They did not clarify how the casualties occurred.
Military police were called in to deal with the situation. The force's commander, Col. Ramiro Mu帽oz, said one of the prisoners died at the prison while the other died a while later, at a nearby hospital.
鈥淓verything is now calm and in order,鈥 Mu帽oz told local media. 鈥淭his isn't going to set us back, there is no other prison in the world where this doesn't happen.鈥
Mu帽oz said that at around 4 a.m., the prisoners barricaded themselves inside a section of the prison to distract the guards. Military police responded, he said, without elaborating.
A forensic investigation would take place to dispel any speculation, Mu帽oz also said.
At the women鈥檚 prison in Tamara last year, . The carnage led to calls for change to the country鈥檚 prison system and even talk of whether Honduras should emulate the drastic zero-tolerance, no-privileges prisons set up in neighboring by President Nayib Bukele.
In June, Honduras President Xiomara Castro, as part of the government鈥檚 larger crackdown on gang violence and efforts to overhaul the long-troubled prison system.
