Roberto Flores Bermúdez, former Honduran foreign minister: “The persistently high levels of extortion in Honduras, together with the apparently successful hard measures in neighboring El Salvador, have prompted President Castro’s administration to act. Since they were first put in place in December 2022, the government has argued that the state of emergency has allowed it to reduce the homicide rate, to decommission firearms as well as stocks of cocaine and marijuana. Official sources state that of the 4,233 detainees, 415 were members of criminal groups. The extension of the state of emergency would probably increase these numbers. Nevertheless, it would also increase the risk of human rights violations. Amnesty International and the Honduran Association for a More Just Society have pointed out the danger of suppressing citizens’ rights, making them vulnerable to abuse. When the new 45-day extension expires, there is no indication that the state of emergency will have fulfilled its objective. It will likely…”