[REVISION HISTORY]

Central American and regional organized crime prison trends

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2026-10-20 16:20 UTC → 2026-10-20 18:49 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Security cooperation and prison infrastructure developments in Central America and Ecuador have increasingly focused on combating organized crime through high-security confinement models. In September 2026, the United States and El Salvador implemented a security agreement involving the transfer of individuals linked to serious crimes to El Salvador’s Centro de Confinamento del Terrorismo (CECOT). Following this, Costa Rica inaugurated the High-Containment Center Against Organized Crime (CACCO) in October 2026, a $35 million facility modeled after CECOT. While supporters view the facility as a security turning point, judicial authorities and human rights advocates have raised concerns regarding democratic checks and balances. In Honduras, the National Congress has authorized the management of funds to construct a maximum-security megaprison in the Naco sector, inspired by El Salvador’s CECOT. The project aims to house up to 10,000 inmates using over 70 manzanas of state land and existing infrastructure valued at approximately 300 to 400 million lempiras. While proponents argue the facility is necessary to isolate high-risk criminal leaders, the National Anticorruption Council and other critics warn that replicating the Salvadoran model could potentially undermine the rule of law and constitutional guarantees. Funding for the facility may involve national resources, international loans, or bonds. In Ecuador, the Servicio Nacional de Atención Integral a Personas Adultas Privadas de la Libertad (SNAI) has launched a National Classification Plan to disrupt gang influence. This initiative involves redistributing 9,214 prisoners across six facilities in the provinces of Cotopaxi, Azuay, Tungurahua, and Chimborazo. By categorizing inmates into four security levels—minimum, medium, maximum, and special maximum—the reorganization seeks to break criminal command structures through coordinated efforts with the National Police and the Armed Forces.

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