THIRTEEN MURDERED, MANY OTHERS WOUNDED, AS GANG

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002081 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC, DRL/PHD, INL/LP, AND DS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM SNAR KCRM KJUS ASEC HO SUBJECT: THIRTEEN MURDERED, MANY OTHERS WOUNDED, AS GANG MEMBERS OPEN FIRE ON BUSES IN SAN PEDRO SULA REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 1938 ¶B. TEGUCIGALPA 1904 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On August 30, in three separate attacks in different neighborhoods of San Pedro Sula, Hoduras' commercial center, gang members randomly opened fire on three "rapidito" small buses killing 13 and wounding over thirty others. All three buses appear to be owned by the same transportation company. Police have four suspects in custody and are searching for two others. Initial press and police reports indicate that these gang members were hired by a rival bus company owner to scare others off from using a competitor's buses. On September 1, rumors circulating that gang members had opened fire on a school, killing three children, set off a general panic in the city as parents raced to schools to collect their children and business shuttered their doors. Only some two hours later, after military and police units were called in to restore calm, did some sense of normalcy return to the city's center. END SUMMARY ¶2. (SBU) On August 30, in three separate attacks in different neighborhoods of San Pedro Sula, gang members randomly opened fire on three "rapidito" small buses killing 13 and wounding over thirty others. All three buses appear to be owned by the same transportation company. Police have four suspects in custody and are searching for two others. Initial press and police reports indicate that these gang members were hired by a rival bus company owner who reportedly offered the gang members USD 580 to scare others from using a competitor's buses. (Comment: Bus route permits are regulated by the Government of Honduras (GOH) to reduce the amount of buses on city streets and offer a modicum of safety standards; there is much competition between rival companies over who gets which permits. End Comment.) ¶3. (SBU) Gang members already under arrest are providing police with valuable intelligence, leading to the preliminary conclusion that this was not an act of aggression against the GOH or between rival gangs, but an ugly multiple murder by thugs-for-hire in a city where the murder rate is already one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere, and almost four times that of Washington, D.C. according to Post's estimates (ref A). ¶4. (U) Insecurity in San Pedro Sula is running so high that apparently after a few students set off firecrackers at their local school to celebrate Honduran Flag Day September 1, rumors rapidly spread that gang members had invaded the school and shot three children dead. This set off a general panic in the city as parents raced to schools to collect their children and business shuttered their doors. Only some two hours later, after military and police units were called in to restore calm, did some sense of normalcy return to the city's center. ¶5. (SBU) Comment: This is the third mass murder to take place in San Pedro Sula since August 4. President Maduro assured the nation that all the resources of the state will be brought to bear in an effort to bring those responsible to justice but many remain skeptical about the government's ability to provide security. Many gang members have been incarcerated under the government's new anti-gang law (ref B),but insecurity remains the public's number one concern and the GOH does not appear any closer to solving the nation's increasingly high murder rate. This rising insecurity is also taking a toll on economic development in Honduras as potential consumers stay home and some investors think twice before investing due to high crime rates and poor judicial security. According to the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the Department of Cortes the September 1 business closings alone cost San Pedro Sula businesses thousands of dollars. ¶6. (SBU) Comment Continued: Media and other sectors have speculated that the murders may have been the result of gang members lashing out in response to law enforcement efforts to reign in their activities through the new anti-gang law. However, this appears to be a turf-related incident between competing transportation organizations. Regrettably, many San Pedro Sula residents question GOH explanations of the incident and fear that the government may not be able to protect the citizenry. End Comment PALMER