Civil Liberties

U.S. Subsidizes Honduran Police Accused of Running Death Squads

Chicago-style

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A disturbing new investigation has found rogue police death squads are operating with impunity across Honduras, taking the law into their own hands and acting as judge, jury and executioner.

Despite millions of dollars in U.S. aid to Honduras aimed at professionalizing the country's police, the AP has learned in the past three-years, Honduran prosecutors have received as many as 150 formal complaints about death squad-style killings in the capital of Tegucigalpa, and at least 50 more in the economic hub of San Pedro Sula.

The country's National Autonomous University, citing police reports, has counted 149 civilians killed by police in the last two years, including 25 members of the notorious 18th street gang.

(H/T Sarcasmic)