TEGUCIGALPA – The number of deaths in Honduras caused by firearms has increased 206.5 percent over the past nine years, the Central American nation’s human rights commissioner said on Friday.

A total of 49,294 homicides were reported during the 2005-2013 period, Roberto Herrera said in a statement.

Murders carried out with guns climbed from 1,835 in 2005 to 5,626 last year.

The commissioner called on the government, the business community and the wider society to work together to reduce the incidence of violent death and create “better living conditions” for the Honduran people.

“The fight against crime requires the cooperation of the entire society, as public safety is not a problem that belongs only to the government,” Herrera said.

On average, a gun killing took place every 286 minutes in 2005, compared with one every 93 minutes in 2013, the commissioner said.

Honduras is the most violent country in the world, with 90.4 homicides per 100,000 people, according to a report released in June by the Assessment Capacities Project, an initiative of several international NGOs.

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