(CNN Spanish) — The President of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, said she suspended the head of the commission for the inspection of penal centers, Julissa Villanueva, from her post, following the death of 46 inmates on Tuesday at the Women’s Center for Social Adjustment (Cefas), near Da Tegucigalpa.
Castro added that Villanueva will continue in his position as deputy security minister.
The deputy minister said on Wednesday that inside prisons there is corruption and a mafia that directly affects people.
“I want to tell you that it is a parallel state of corruption and mafia (the) that reigns in the prison system. We Hondurans are suffering this negative effect of crime and we have to overcome it, they wanted to hit us hard by beating us, killing those women in Támara prison,” Villanueva stressed.
The causes of the uprising are under investigation, but according to President Xiomara Castro, the uprising was planned by gangs. Honduras National Police General Juan Róchez told CNN Wednesday that 11 people allegedly involved in the events have been identified. Róchez did not provide details, claiming he did not want to “obstruct the process” of the investigation.
