# Honduran security reforms and anti-crime measures

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/honduran-security-reforms-and-anti-crime-measures
> Updated: 2026-09-19T18:40:05.000Z. Sources: 20. Developments: 2.

Honduran authorities have moved to intensify efforts against rising criminality through legislative and institutional reforms. Initially, the government evaluated implementing a localized state of exception in high-violence zones, which would allow for searches and arrests without prior judicial authorization in specific micro-territories.

Following these evaluations, the National Defense and Security Council (CNDS) officially designated three criminal structures as terrorist organizations. This decision, announced by National Congress President Tomás Zambrano, utilizes legal reforms from Decree 84-2026, which expanded the definition of terrorist association to include gangs and drug trafficking networks. To maintain operational secrecy and ensure the effectiveness of upcoming security actions, the specific names of these groups have been withheld.

Rather than implementing a broad state of exception, officials have opted for what President Zambrano described as “more surgical actions,” utilizing the legal framework provided by recent reforms to the Penal Code. To support these measures, the government is establishing the National Against Crime Agency (ANC), to be led by Colonel Juan Alberto Ruiz Cerrato. The agency will coordinate efforts between the police, armed forces, intelligence services, and the judiciary.

Proposed reforms also include establishing specialized judicial circuits dedicated exclusively to terrorism-related cases and creating a strict penitentiary regime for high-risk inmates. This regime will involve restricted communications and potential transfers to maximum-security modules, even for individuals in pretrial detention. While the CNDS has approved increased military and police presence in high-crime areas, the government has stated it will not implement a new territorial state of exception at this time.

## Claims

- The National Defense and Security Council (CNDS) declared three criminal structures as terrorist organizations. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- Authorities will implement a special regime for high-risk inmates, including restricted communications and transfers to maximum security modules. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- Specialized judicial circuits will be created to handle terrorism-related cases. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The names of the three terrorist organizations have not been publicly revealed to maintain operational surprise. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- The National Crime Agency (ANC) has been created to coordinate anti-crime efforts. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Colonel Juan Alberto Ruiz Cerrato has been appointed to lead the National Crime Agency. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The government has decided not to implement a new state of exception at this time. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The measures are based on Decree 84-2026, which reformed the Penal Code to include terrorist association for gangs and drug trafficking networks. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-19: Honduras declares three criminal groups as terrorist organizations

Honduras has declared three criminal organizations as terrorist groups, triggering new security measures including specialized courts, the creation of the National Crime Agency, and stricter prison regimes.

14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/honduras-designates-three-criminal-groups-as-terrorist-organizations

### 2026-09-15: Honduras evaluates localized state of exception to combat crime

Honduran officials are considering a localized state of exception and designating criminal groups as terrorist associations to combat violence, pending decisions from the National Council for Defense and Safety

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/honduras-congress-awaits-security-council-decisions

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Cite as: Honduran security reforms and anti-crime measures. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/honduran-security-reforms-and-anti-crime-measures