Dont hitchhike ortake lifts from strangers , Other ways to meet fellow travelers and. During the first month of the measures, 39 criminal gangs were destroyed and 652 people were arrested, while 43 kilos of cocaine and thousands of grams and rocks of crack were seized, the police said. Gangs exercise territorial control over neighborhoods and extort residents throughout the country. Latest News Profile Criminal Actors Investigations News Latest News Sometimes the drivers are assaulted. Honduras Is the Most Violent Country in Central America | News In addition, gang recruitment of minors has contributed to the increasing numbers of families and unaccompanied children leaving Honduras for Mexico, some planning to travel onward to the U.S.. The inmates, all from Honduras, had reportedly escaped custody yesterday in Scott County. In Honduras, steps were taken to demilitarize public security forces and a community policing model was announced, with the hope being that the measures would increase public trust in an institution that has historically been dogged by corruption and infiltrated by the very same organized crime groups it is supposed to combat. Use these tips to reduce the risk, but we also recommend that you pack some medication fit for a bad stomach. Visiting Honduras right now is as safe as it ever was:not very. Share this via Printer, As More Climate Chaos Looms, Slashing Fossil Fuels Is Key. Almost 110,000 Hondurans were returned in 2019, mostly from Mexico. In January 2020, the OHCHR released a report saying that the armed forces and military police had used excessiveeven lethalforce in response to the protests that followed the 2017 election. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2018 was 38.93, a 5.01% decline from 2017. Close to 1 million migrants fled Honduras for the U.S. border over the eight-year tenure of former President Juan Orlando Hernndez, now facing drug trafficking charges after being arrested. Meanwhile, as Guatemalas electoral season heats up ahead of next years presidential election, some candidates have signaled that if elected, they would also implement hardline policies. The vaccine doses arrived in the Honduran capital on October 4 2021. Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency Meant to Fight Crime The former vice president has become the Democratic front-runner with primary victories across the country. Get a quote below or read our in-depth review! The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. Hondurashas endorsed the World Health OrganizationsSolidarity Call to Action for the Covid-19 Technology Access Pool, an initiative to realize equitable global access to COVID-19 health technologies through pooling of knowledge, intellectual property and data., Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice, Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3)nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808, Freedom of Expression, Association, and Assembly, Attacks on Lawyers, Human Rights Defenders, and Environmental Activists, Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Violence Against Women, Migrants, Refugees, and Internally Displaced People, Bidens Challenge: Redeeming a US Role for Human Rights, Addressing the Climate Crisis in Times of Pandemic, From Flight Logs to Homeschooling, Human Rights Watch Grapples with Covids Challenges, As Online Gender-Based Violence Booms, Governments Drag Their Feet, The Other Pandemic: Fighting Inequality as We Beat Back Covid, Poverty, Pandemic, Police Violence: Ongoing Crises Demand the US Address Pervasive Racism. Theres alsoLa Ceiba. Honduras and theUS signed anasylum cooperative agreement in 2019, whereby Honduras agreed to receivenon-Honduran asylum-seekerstransferred by the US. With those come violenceandpoverty. Independent travel is going to require A LOT of being careful. A large chunk of thosearrived via cruise ships, however. Taxis areall over the placein Honduras. However, if you decide to travel independently, youll face quite a few challenges. Historically, governments have responded with iron-fist security strategies to combat organized crime, enacting tougher legislation and increasing police presence and mass detentions. Again, thank you! Other ways to share Theres no reason to get mixed up with a gang in Honduras. Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency for Second Time But like any war, it isnt just a battle against an enemy, but also for control of the popular narrative in this case, an attempt to counter allegations that the government has not done enough to combat rampant crime. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can seriously get you in trouble. We strive to provide the most relevant travel information on the web and always appreciate input from our readers (nicely, please!). How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. Women in Honduras face high levels of gender-based violence. If a restaurant or eatery of any sort looks busy, thats probably because its good, both in terms of taste and. In El Salvador, a Thin Line Between Community Policing and Vigilantism. Clearly, with the pandemic, that goal wasnt reached, but its not been forgotten either. On 24 November, Hondurass leftwing president, Xiomara Castro, declared war on extortion a very real problem that causes economic stagnation, fuels violence and forces countless Hondurans to flee the country. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by backpackers, dive shops, hostels, burger shacks, smoothie stands, and pirate bars. Honduras is exposed to other climate shocks as well. It also documented widespread mistreatment of people detained and arrested during the protests. This perception has grown despite a slight reduction in homicides this year, according to preliminary data, and a significant drop over the past decade since Honduras held the ignominious title of the worlds most violent country. Nevertheless, the political gains to be had from emulating Bukeles hardline policies may be too enticing to pass up. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. The government neither comprehensively protects the rights of children, including adolescents, nor ensures that they have access to basic services such as education and healthcare, the IACHR reported in 2019. But it was not a tremor, nor a tsunami. Roatan is the largest of the Honduras Bay Islands. ; Children and Adolescents - Honduras has the highest youth homicide rate in the world. crime | Honduras News But its pretty damn special too. Heres how to not get ill whilst trying local delights. The primary drivers of this violence are gangs like the Barrio 18 and MS13, which concentrate their criminal activities in urban areas and recruit young people, many of whom are suffering from widespread economic inequality and a lack of opportunity. But traveling there is possible, of course. Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committees Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. Is your phone eSIM ready? Of the 6,088,590 vaccine doses, 100% were donated in partnership with COVAX. Honduras - United States Department of State With just 39% of the population fully vaccinated as of December 2021, the health risks associated with the pandemic will remain a concern long into 2022. Police raid a house in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on 8 December. TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The Honduran government on Saturday extended a state of emergency declaration for 45 days, expanding it to additional areas of the country in an effort to fight criminal. In June, police detained and beat bus drivers who were allegedly protesting not being able to work due to lockdown restrictions. The Covid-19 pandemic has further limited access to education for many children. Honduras recorded 3,496 murders in 2020. The Inescapable Prison of Barrio 18 in Honduras, Death, Taxes, and Extortion: Why Latin American Companies Keep Paying Up, Timber Mafias - Preying on Latin Americas Forests, State and Community Responses to Extortion, A Mayor and a Wave of Narco Violence on Guatemala's Pacific, One Party, Many Crimes: The Case of Honduras National Party, Drug Trafficking and Political Protection in Paraguay: The Case of Cucho Cabaa, How Colombia Regulators Became Purveyors of Illegal Wood, The Logging Barons of Catacamas, Honduras, How Drug Cartels Moved into Illegal Logging in Mexico, Municipalities Fight Back in Guatemalas Gang-Preyed Upon Neighborhoods, How the Private Sector Helped Counter Rural Extortion in El Salvador. Of 25,000 gang members in 2012, nearly a fifth were children, UNICEF estimated. The mission in early December was ostensibly to raid a casa loca, an abandoned home used by gang members. But the removal of military officers from an anti-gang taskforce resulted in a messy divorce that temporarily reduced the units already limited capacity opening a window for criminals and before the community policing model could have any effect, the political pressure to take decisive action against extortion boiled over. Domestic and sexual violence are also widespread, with women and children bearing the brunt. Inside Gang Territory in Honduras: 'Either They Kill Us or We Kill Them The poverty resulting from all this is what youll have to watch out for. But travelers DO take these buses. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide and armed robbery, is common. The criminal justice system regularly fails to hold those responsible for homicides to account. The streets of major cities like Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula are gripped by crime and conflict. We provide specialized support for survivors of gender-based violence; create safe spaces for women, youth and the LGBTQ+ community; and also offer psychosocial counseling and social work support. Please donate. A 25-year-old migrant who posed as a minor to illegally cross the border was sentenced to 60 years for killing the father of four who took him in. Disclaimer: Safety conditions change all over the world on a daily basis. Check in and let people know your plans. ERO Houston removes twice-deported foreign fugitive wanted in Honduras And Honduras has been struggling to build representative democracy, to fight corruption and crime. Couple that with 470 miles of (mainly) Caribbean coastline, a load of beaches and tropical islands, as well asMayan ruinsand you got yourself adream destination. And for transparencys sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. Not really. Corruption, fear of retribution, and limited access to essential health services . Although there is a law that provides higher penalties for bias-based crimes, including on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, the Attorney Generals office told Human Rights Watch in September 2020 that no one has been convicted under the law. Gangsters killed Maria's sister in Honduras. A note on the door told Shootings are very common in poorer areas too. This isnt one for first-time backpackers. Locals have to pay war taxes which keeps the poverty rate high as well. Share this via WhatsApp Its not 100% safe in Honduras. According to the U.N., Honduras has the highest femicide rate in the world. And taxi driversprobably wont have enough change to cover a big bill, socarry small denominations. This is due to negotiationsbetween criminal groups and the government, and possibly because of economic aid from the US. I wouldnt dare to say that [extortion] has skyrocketed because it has been so high for many years, said Leticia Salomn, a sociologist and researcher with the Documentation Center of Honduras. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. In 2018, the last year for which statistics are available, 60 percent of perpetrators were domestic partners. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. Honestly? There are an estimated 115,000 gang members. Honduras Private Sector and Anti-Extortion Police: An Unholy Alliance? It was Zelaya's intention to seek a second term that coup leaders. Get the latest news about the IRC's innovative programs, compelling stories about our clients and how you can make a difference. Honduras International Travel Information The first 2,000 inmates were transferred to El Salvador's new mega-prison for hardcore gangbangers. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Violence against LGBT individuals forces many to leave their homes, fleeing internally or leaving the country to seek asylum. The Supreme Court, particularly its president, exerts excessive control over the appointment and removal of judges, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported in 2019, and career instability limits judges independence. That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution and Travel Advisories. And there are roads that have higher levels ofattacks,including carjacking. And this area is great for children. A woman is killed every 23 hours on average, the National Autonomous University of Honduras Violence Observatory reports. Tegucigalpa - AP NEWS Im nervous, repeated a young police officer driving a pickup truck crowded with heavily armed special forces officers. Read more about the top 10 crises the world cant ignore in 2022, learn how the IRC selected these countries, and download the full 2022 Emergency Watchlist report for data citations and profiles of all 20 crisis countries on the IRC's list. Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency Meant to Fight Crime, FILE PHOTO: A member of Honduras' DIPAMPCO (Police Anti Maras and Gangs Against Organised Crime Directorate) stands guard as other DIPAMPCO members frisk people while doing rounds in a low-income neighbourhood, after President Xiomara Castro declared a national security emergency implementing a new plan to combat a rising number of cases of extortion by violent criminal groups operating across the country, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras November 26, 2022. San Pedro Sula - Wikipedia msn back to msn home news Skip To Navigation Hardline policies, meanwhile, are popular because people think that theyre going to work but inevitably the track record is that they havent, said Malone. Gang violence is a big issue in Honduras. In certain areas, yes Honduras is safe to travel for families. EIN number 13-5660870. Prosecutors and whistleblowers have received death threats. The information present in this safety guide was accurate at the time of writing, however, the world is a changeable place, now more than ever. At nighttime, you should really get a taxi. Judges continue to face interference, including political pressure, threats, and harassment, from the executive branch, private actors with connections to government, and organized crime. In July 2020, gunmen in police uniforms abducted five indigenous Garifuna men in Triunfo de la Cruz, where communities are claiming ancestral land from drug traffickers and developers. The government of Honduras is committed to attracting more tourists. The government has set up roadblocks, deployed security forces, and used violence to prevent people from leaving the country. Journalists, environmental activists,lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals,and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted forviolence. Reconsider travel to Honduras due to crime. Subscribe. You basically pay for safety, but better safe than sorry wed say. The IRC serves people and families in vulnerable situations or at increased risk for violence and displacement, including those who are uprooted by violence or returning after seeking safety in other countries. In June 2020, a new criminal code came into effect. That said, the governmentclaimsthere has been a 52%decreasein violent crime over the past five years. Read the entire Travel Advisory. This has a pretty good expat community too. After irregularities and delays, the trial of David Castillo, one of the men accused of planning the 2016 killing of environmental activist Berta Cceres, began in September 2020. And watch out for bad road conditions after heavy rain. TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduran authorities reported on Monday the discovery of more than 1.6 million coca leaf bushes in the most important. Dangers of Travel to Honduras | USA Today Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. led to the detention of more than 2% of its adult population. - The New York Times Inside Gang Territory In Honduras 'Either They Kill Us or We Kill Them' In one of the deadliest cities in the world, an embattled group of young men had little but their tiny. Theres a huge problem with single-use plastics in the Earths water and you dont have any assurance whatsoever that your bottles will be properly disposed of, even if youre careful to sort them in the proper bin. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Biodiversity is a huge part of Honduras. There is only anecdotal evidence of the scale of the problem because so few extortion victims report the crime, making a statistical analysis impossible. Gang wars and fights with the police are common in this city. So no. Gangs attacking other gangs. A ferry also runs betweenTrujilloandGuanaja. And theyre generally safe. "Life Has Become Unlivable in Honduras": How Corruption & Drug Trade via REUTERS. The question of Is Honduras Safe? will ALWAYS have a different answer depending on the parties involved. The IACHR expressed concern in 2019 regarding the critical levels of impunity and inadequate and insufficient attention to victims of human rights violations. Sat Navs might not always tell you the best route. This social democratic government is declaring war on extorsion, just as it has, since the first day, declared wars on corruption, impunity and drug trafficking," Castro said. These are pretty safe. They forcibly recruit children and sexually abuse women, girls, and LGBT people. If youdo get one in the street, ensure that you tell the taxi driver that you dont want to share the taxi. But the thing iswomen DO travel alone to Honduras. Honduras - Organized Crime News - InSight Crime The government bans emergency contraception, known as the morningafter pill, which can prevent pregnancy after rape, unprotected sex, or contraceptive failure. This rule especially goes at night. Newton County Sheriff's Office was involved with . If we didnt have Bukeles example, we could probably look for some control and security responses based on strengthening institutions.. Weve covered the main safety concerns already, but there are a few more things to know. That being said, its still one of the murder capitals in the world, so if youre an inexperienced travellers, you wont be safe. When more cameras arrived, men were forced to take off their shirts so the police could inspect them for gang tattoos in front of the bright lights. Officials were called out to the main Wood Duck Recreation Area at around 4 p.m. on Tuesday to investigate a suspicious vehicle, a ccording to a release from the Sheriff's Office. It suspends some Constitutional rights and gives police more powers to arrest and hold suspects. Here's a list of 14: 1. Honduras may sound scary, but if you take into account the advice of locals, plan ahead, and use your common sense,Honduras will open up to you as a solo female traveler. Women - Honduras has the fifth-highest rate of violence against women in the world. Especiallythrough a tour company. A study published in April reported that nearly half of teachers in rural areas had not been able to contact the majority of their students. The IRC is calling for stronger international cooperation to address the humanitarian crisis that displaces hundreds of thousands from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala every year. Youll most likely get watered-down versions of Honduran food and Western stuff. A local TV correspondent needed to do a live shot for one of the countrys most-watched news programs. crime Mayor and Retired Honduras National Police Sub-Commissioner Arrested for Organized Crime Involvement By Hector Martinez on February 24, 2016 crime, extortion, gangs, mara, MaraSalvatrucha, ms13, MS18, murder, narcotics, OrganizedCrime, salvatrucha General Honduras News, Headline News I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. Just in case, thats No quiero compartir el taxi.. https://t.co/xQGbbyZXXv. Even if they graduate high school, they can't get a job." Heres what you need to know about the growing crisis in Honduras. There are alsopassenger ferriesif you want to go totheBay Islands. It may have improved it actually. Whilst many people DO live here, it doesnt mean Honduras is safe to live. Violence: Honduras reached a . So backpacking Honduras isnt always just a breeze. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional rights so as to round up gang members. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Juan Aguilar, 41, and his wife, Margaret Wilson, 39, both of San Leandro, face charges of kidnapping to commit a sex crime, human trafficking of a minor, forcible rape, and forcible oral copulation. Youll be able to travel around here with relative ease. So youll likely escape having to pay war tax (or facing the consequences). As VP Kamala Harris prepares to visit #Honduras for the presidential inauguration, we call for international cooperation and funding to respond to the humanitarian crisis displacing thousands in the country. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File PhotoReuters. Estimates of the number of active gang members range from 5,000 to 40,000. Xiomara Castros crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasnt done enough to combat crime. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. 20 Top Safety Tips for Traveling to Honduras. Every 18 hours, a woman is a victim of a violent death. Theres a lot to learn about Honduras that goes beyond gangs and beaches. He estimated the companies and drivers have paid an average of about $10 million per month to the gangs in order to operate. Since June, 2021 the United States has shared 6,088,590 safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses with the people of Honduras - free of cost. Since 2020, the number of Hondurans in need of humanitarian assistance has more than doubled, while food insecurity has increased due to consecutive climate shocks, rising food prices and the economic impacts of COVID-19. Despite some similarities, the security situation in El Salvador is different from Honduras, which has a much larger territory, higher population, greater poverty and a more diverse set of criminal groups. Hondurass prison population has doubled over the past decade, partly due to a 2013 reform that greatly expanded the use of mandatory pre-trial detention. Many women are choosing to flee the violence in their communities. HOUSTON Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Houston, with assistance from ERO Tegucigalpa and the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force, removed Rufino Garza Monroy, a twice-deported foreign fugitive from the United States on Feb. 24. You can definitely push your luck by staying in the wrong neighborhood as well. Theres more nature here than you can shake a stick at. Naturally, youre going to be wondering, Is Honduras safe? That is why we have created this insiders guide looking at the safety of travelers in Honduras. Its prettyextreme. So keep that in mind and have a read of our safety tips for solo female travelers thinking of taking a trip to Honduras. Donate now to support the IRC's life-changing work in Honduras, across northern Central America, and worldwide. Since 2017, the government has operated centers to support returned migrants. Dont eat at tourist traps. At the same time, traveling alone can be stressful, boring, lonely, anddangerous in varying quantities. Honduras isnt perfectly safe for tourists, but that doesnt mean that you can travel there or have a good time. Honduras deploys soldiers on anti-crime patrols We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact. Violence in Honduras is usually attributed to gangs and organised crime, but US federal prosecutors have implicated high-level politicians, the military and police in cocaine trafficking to the US . (KCAU) The Stanton County Sheriff's Office said that they've cited two men who allegedly killed an American Bald Eagle. But if you meet the local ladies andlearn about their livesyoure going to have a VERY enriching experience on your hands. Extortion in Latin America continues to bring in fortunes for criminal gangs. And were not going to lie,Honduras doesnt exactly lend itself to solo travel. There are private coach servicesthat connect cities and towns that are usually moremaintained and more comfortable than the chicken buses. Youll also have to take care that your children dont stay in the sun fortoo long. Well Public transportation can be alittle trickyin Honduras, and its not always safe. In March 2020, the government declared a state of emergency in response to the pandemic, imposing a lockdown and restricting movement and freedom of expression. Activist groups, like the Grupo Prisma, have formed that educate and inform the general public as well as fight the current rules against homosexual relationships. Keeping yourself away from any situation to do with them will be a good way to keep yourself pretty much safe. Gangsplay a big part of life here. It can get SUPER hot in Honduras. Expat retirees, yachties, families with kids, and cruise ship tourists make up a large majority of the demographic found on Roatan at any given time. Part 1: Cycles of violence in Honduras - Doctors Without Borders Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market andditch the plastic. It might sound like paradiseBut it isnt. The new code also includes alternatives to detention for low-level crimes, including partial prison sentences and penalties that allow for conditional release. His security-at-all costs approach, and the reductions in violence and crime that have come with it, have found a captive audience in Honduras, but caused consternation among civil society, and closed down discussion of other options. Honduras Newspaper : List of All Honduras Newspapers | Honduras News