Following the lead of its neighbor, El Salvador, Honduras is embarking on the construction of an island prison colony, a unique initiative in the Western Hemisphere. President Xiomara Castro intends to relocate the nation's most dangerous gang leaders to a secure facility on the Islas del Cisne archipelago, situated approximately 155 miles off the Honduran coast.

This decision represents a shift in Castro's initial strategy, which focused on systemic reforms within the government and criminal justice system to combat gang violence. The recent massacre of 46 women within a prison, attributed to gang activity, has prompted this more stringent approach. The new prison is designed to hold up to 2,000 gang leaders.

While island prisons were once prevalent in Latin America, with examples in countries like Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, they have largely been phased out. The last such facility in Mexico closed in 2019. Honduras's revival of this approach aims to curb the escalating violence, although some experts question its effectiveness, arguing that it addresses symptoms rather than root causes.

Tiziano Breda, a Latin America expert at Italy's Instituto Affari Internazionali, expressed skepticism, highlighting the importance of regaining control of existing prisons before establishing new ones. He pointed out the adaptability of criminal gangs, suggesting that a new prison alone might not be sufficient.

The massacre last month, where women were killed with gunfire and machetes, some even burned alive in their cells, served as a catalyst for this drastic action. President Castro vowed to take decisive measures against the Barrio 18 and MS-13 gangs responsible for the violence.

José Jorge Fortín, head of the Honduran armed forces, emphasized the isolation of Islas del Cisne, reachable only by satellite communication and a day's journey by boat from the mainland. This remoteness, he explained, is intended to sever gang leaders' connections with their operations and make escape extremely difficult.

This image provided by Planet Labs PBC shows Great Swan Island or the Islas del Cisne in Honduras, on July 13, 2023. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

The Honduran government's approach echoes that of El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, who has incarcerated a significant portion of the population in a "mega-prison." While Bukele claims this has drastically reduced violence, human rights organizations have raised concerns about potential abuses and the imprisonment of individuals without clear gang affiliations.

While some Hondurans welcome the strong stance against crime, others, including environmental groups, express concern about the potential impact on the Islas del Cisne's biodiversity. The island, a protected territory, is known for its rich ecosystems, and there are fears that the prison construction could pose a threat to this delicate environment. Government officials, however, maintain that the facility will be built in an environmentally conscious manner.