Top Officials Removed from Posts and Replaced

The Minister of Security, Pompeo Bonilla, the top ranking official of the Security Forces of Honduras, announced from the presidential house, changes to the police hierarchy. Officials, including the National Director of the Police, and the Chief of the Investigative Police, were removed from office. The changes are effective immediately. These changes were made after a weekend of pressure and scandal following the assassinations of the son of the Director of the UNAH, and his friend, at the hands of police officers.


Accompanied by the new members of his team, Minister Bonilla announced that Coralia Rivera assumes the position of Vice Minister of Security; while Jose Luis Muñoz Licona, up until now, General Police Commissioner, has been substituted with Fransciso Ramirez of the CID. Felix Villanueva Mejía was named as Director of the National Investigative Unit, known as the DNIC, in substitution of Marco Tulio Palma, and Joaquín Amado Mejía, as Director of the National Preventive Police Unit. Hector Suazo Rivera was named as the Chief of Special Investigative Services. A complete list of changes appears below.

The changes have come in the middle of the crisis triggered by the involvement of eight police in the assassinations of Rafael Castellanos and Carlos Pineda on October 22, 2011. Those linked to the case were given leave on Friday after being identified as suspects in the double crime, even though the Minister of Security, Pompeo Bonilla, and the General Fiscal of the Republic had solicited their retention at the police post they were assigned.

New Appointments:

Ricardo Ramírez of the CID, Director General of the National Police
Joaquín Amado Mejía, Director of the Preventative Police
Felix Villanueva Mejía, National Director of Criminal Investigations
Héctor Orlando Suazo, Director of Special Investigative Services
Randolfo Paguada Medina, National Director of Transit
José Danilo Orellana, Director of Special Preventative Services

Former Persons Served:

José Luís Muñoz Licona, Director General of the National Police
Manuel Fuentes Aguilar, Director of the Preventative Police
Marco Tulio Palma, Director of the Investigative Police
José Oliva Acosta, National Director of Transit
Félix Villanueva, Director of Special Services (now with the DNIC)
Danilo Orellana, Ratified in Special Preventive Services


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