Honduras Arrests Alleged Mastermind Of Palm Plantation Massacre
On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, Honduran authorities arrested alleged gang leader Carlos Molina, known as "El Gato Negro," in connection with a mid-May massacre that killed 19 palm plantation workers in Rigores, Bajo Aguan.[1]
Authorities say at least six people carried out the attack, but the suspected gunmen have not been arrested.[1] Honduran officials also reported five police officers were killed the same day near the Guatemala border, complicating a broader security crackdown.[1]
In mid-May, gunmen stormed a workers' camp in Rigores, Bajo Aguan, and 19 palm plantation workers were killed.[1] The government says Carlos Molina, known as El Gato Negro, planned and materially supported the attack.[1]
Honduras has moved to let the military take public security tasks, create an anti-organized crime unit, and allow gangs to be labeled terrorist groups as part of a crackdown.[1] Officials framed Molina's arrest as part of U.S.-backed regional efforts that recently included U.S. terror designations for Brazilian groups and joint commando operations in Ecuador.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, Honduras announced the arrest of alleged gang leader Carlos Molina, alias 'El Gato Negro'.
- Molina is accused of planning and materially supporting a mid-May massacre that killed 19 palm plantation workers in Rigores, Bajo Aguan.
- Authorities say at least six people carried out the attack, but none of the suspected gunmen have been arrested so far.
- Five Honduran police officers were also killed the same day in a separate incident near the Guatemala border.
- Recent Honduran reforms authorize the military to take on public security tasks, create an anti-organized crime unit, and permit gangs and cartels to be labeled terrorist groups.
- The article situates the case within U.S.-backed regional efforts, including recent U.S. terror designations for Brazilian groups and joint commando operations in Ecuador.
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