Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. Wed,03/01/23-8:24AM, 1,088 Reads 16,082 Statewide. A collection of moments during and after Barack Obama's presidency. We need to address these immediate needs too.. 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. SafetyWing is convenient, cheap, and trouble-free Insurance was never this easy! Theres no reason to get mixed up with a gang in Honduras. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by backpackers, dive shops, hostels, burger shacks, smoothie stands, and pirate bars. Of course, while it's not ever good to generalize an. Trump, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, announced a slate of futuristic new policies in a campaign video Friday. Get your accommodation to either recommenda good company or just book one for you. All that in mind, there are places that expats dolive in Honduras. Anyone else would do well with a trusted tour group. In October, the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), of which Cceres was president, complained of continued delays and a lack of transparency in the case. 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. Reconsider travel to Honduras due to crime. Read on for more detailed information on how to have a safe trip to Honduras. But its clear that extortion is occurring in areas where it didnt in the past, and there is no disagreement, among experts or others, on the gravity of the problem. At least 86 journalists were killed from 2001 through July 2020, the Honduran College of Journalists reported, and 92 percent of those killings remain unpunished. In El Salvador, a Thin Line Between Community Policing and Vigilantism. For example, theBay Islandsaresaferthan the mainland. Honduras Honduras declares war against gangs - and for control of popular narrative Xiomara Castro's crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasn't done. Violence has long ruled here. The new criminal code decriminalized defamation, but retains other crimes of honorincluding insult and slanderwhich have been used to prosecute journalists in the past. In neighboring El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele requested Congress grant him extraordinary powers after gangs were blamed for 62 killings on March 26, and that emergency decree has been renewed every month since then. There are taxi ranks in a lot of locations. Honduras is one of the murder capitals of the world. 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. Xiomara Castros crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasnt done enough to combat crime. Feb. 21, 2023, at 6:11 p.m. Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency for Second Time. Violent crime is at its peak in Honduras. Is your phone eSIM ready? If a restaurant or eatery of any sort looks busy, thats probably because its good, both in terms of taste and. You will have to agree on a pricebefore you get in. While Honduras is not seeing the political armed conflict common in most Watchlist countries this year, criminal gang violence is widespread. Extortion and Sexual Violence: Womens Unspoken Suffering, Loan Sharking Grows in Costa Rica by Piggybacking on Drug Trafficking, Extortion of Guatemalas Red Buses: Where Gang and Elite Criminal Interests Meet, The Lucky Kingpin: How Chepe Diablo Has (So Far) Ridiculed Justice, Guatemala's Mafia State and the Case of Mauricio Lpez Bonilla, University Deans and Guatemalas Convoluted Road to a New Attorney General, GameChangers 2022: Drug Bonanza Amid Prohibition Challenges in 2023, Honduras' State of Exception May Set Worrying Precedent, Why Money Launderers in Honduras May Be Getting Away With It, Military Arsenals Provide Convenient Source of Weapons for Latin American Gangs, Extortion in Northern Triangle Worth Over $1 Billion Annually: Report, Latin American Leaders Voice Security Concerns At United Nations General Assembly. Youll get the, If youve got no locals to ask, just use your eyes. I believe that [Bukeles] leadership is increasing, because the tendency of the Bukele government is to become Central American, and to exercise leadership in all of Central America, said Moreno. That means suncream, sun-hats, and limiting time in the sun. Honduras, in general, is open and welcoming to children. In 2018, the government created a special force to fight gangs (Fuerza Nacional Anti Maras y pandillas). TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. The island attracts a very different crowd indeed. Share this via WhatsApp TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) One day after six Honduran environmental activists were convicted for alleged actions against a mining operation, the Supreme Court's Constitutional Chamber unanimously sided with the defendants on two long-standing appeals and threw out their case late Thursday. 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. Not only that, but thecorruptionin everything the low to the high levels of the politics here is standard. Please support our mission investigating organized crime. It may not exactly be classed as safe, but Honduras shouldnt be ignored. As dusk fell, a helicopter hovered menacingly over a dusty football field where several hundred police officers stood in formation, waiting for the clock to strike six and the imposition of a state of exception partially suspending constitutional guarantees in Honduras. 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. Use these tips to reduce the risk, but we also recommend that you pack some medication fit for a bad stomach. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 36.33, a 13.52% decline from 2019. Newton County Sheriff's Office was involved with . Already vulnerable people in Honduras live in an evolving humanitarian crisis, says IRC protection coordinator Zuleyma Chahin. The new criminal code that came into effect in June 2020 includes new alternative sanctions to detention for some minor crimes that could help reduce the prison population. According to Hugo Maldonado, president of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Honduras, this year has seen 116 femicides and 23 group murders, along with more than 1,356 violent. But this article is written for savvy travellers from the perspective of savvy travellers. The violence is carried out by local drug trafficking groups, gangs, corrupt security forces and transnational criminal organizations mainly from Mexico and Colombia. The UNspecialrapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders called Honduras one of the most dangerous countries for human rights defenders in Latin America. As of August 2020, more than 21,000 people were detained in prisons with capacity for just under 11,000. There is no such thing as a perfect safety guide, and this article is no different. Otherwise, thanks for your ear and stay safe! On Friday, Jorge Lanza the leader of the bus operators in Honduras, supported the move, saying bus drivers were tired of being threatened and killed for not paying protection money. Not really. Just 18 percent of Hondurans have internet access in their homes and a quarter of homes in rural areas dont have electricity. Download Historical Data. Tegucigalpa. 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. All of these are in Santa Barbara Department, which also sees hijackings aroundTela, La Ceiba, andEl Progresoas well asTrujillo. CNN Juan Orlando Hernndez, the former president of Honduras, appeared virtually for his initial US court appearance Friday on federal drug trafficking and firearms possession charges.. 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. We can't put up any longer with workers being killed and paying extortion, Lanza said. Its just that easy. Home to the second biggest barrier reef in the world, beaches, and sparkling turquoise sea, as well as a whole host of Mayan ruins, amazing coffee, and the second largest rainforest in the Americas, Honduras is extremely biodiverse: there are 770 bird species alone. At nighttime, you should really get a taxi. It provided a family, a sense of belonging. In April, the office expressed concern regarding accusations of excesive use of force by state security agents enforcing the governments Covid-19 restrictions. Its a wild world out there. The government had granted him protective measures in January 2019. msn back to msn home news Skip To Navigation After a 2019 wave of gang violence that killed 37 detainees, President Hernndez declared a state of emergency and put prisons under military control. Human rights defenders have said they will monitor the measures. Some victims of extortion said that the only thing that has changed is how the money is collected. And watch out for bad road conditions after heavy rain. led to the detention of more than 2% of its adult population. Many people do travel to this particular part of Honduras,even with their families. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Its not very safe to drive in Honduras. Gang violence and organized crime are leading causes of displacement from Honduras. Journalists, environmental activists,lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals,and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted forviolence. At the same time, traveling alone can be stressful, boring, lonely, anddangerous in varying quantities. Violence against LGBT individuals forces many to leave their homes, fleeing internally or leaving the country to seek asylum. Gangs kill, disappear, rape, or displace those who resist. 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. Nevertheless, the political gains to be had from emulating Bukeles hardline policies may be too enticing to pass up. 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. Chances are, if you are arriving via a cruise ship, you will be safe. Honduras recorded 3,496 murders in 2020. Get a quote below or read our in-depth review! Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. Around 191,000 people were internally displaced between 2004 and 2018, the Honduran government reported, and more than 75,000 Hondurans sought asylum abroad in 2017. 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. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. And Hondurascan be a safe place for solo female travelers, but wed only recommend it after some solo travel experience. You can too. Taxis areall over the placein Honduras. Honduras and theUS signed anasylum cooperative agreement in 2019, whereby Honduras agreed to receivenon-Honduran asylum-seekerstransferred by the US. Chances are it wasnt cooked with too much care. How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. This is essentially anunsafecountry. If you see any outdated information in this guide, we would really appreciate it if you could reach out in the comments below. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. Two private security officers were charged. if youre visiting Honduras, you will have to avoid this city completely. Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market andditch the plastic. ; Children and Adolescents - Honduras has the highest youth homicide rate in the world. By MARLON GONZLEZ November 25, 2022. Womenand girls who terminate pregnancies face prison sentences of up to six years. 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. The government relies heavily on the military for public security. Abortionisillegalin Honduras in all circumstances. An audit of government purchases of medical supplies to fight Covid-19 revealed supplies worth tens of millions of dollars had gone missing. Most who can access the internet do so on their phones. There have been protests due tocontested election results in late 2017. But traveling there is possible, of course. Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. Radio taxisare always a better option than hailing one off the street. Yery Noel Medina Ulloa of Honduras pleaded guilty . Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. There are private coach servicesthat connect cities and towns that are usually moremaintained and more comfortable than the chicken buses. Members of the military police of public order patrol a street during a special operation against criminal gangs in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. Take theBay Islands,for example. And what you had, you know, after the coup, while the U.S. did cut assistance, it was very. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. Enjoy your travels! Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional Honestly? Many Hondurans dont have access toclean waterandmedical care. With all of its branches of government and its armed forces plagued by corruption, Honduras has evolved into a transit nation in which criminal groups, protected by the political system, have developed the capacity to produce cocaine hydrochloride in local laboratories. There are probably more sketchy areas in Honduras than there are safe ones. So, yeah. With all the threats of violence, theres alow number of tourists, so oddly you can really have anauthentic experiencehere while getting to know Honduran women, too. Click here to read the full story: 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison. Close, Is Honduras Safe for Travel? It was Zelaya's intention to seek a second term that coup leaders. Theyre old U.S. school buses that are poorly maintained,andovercrowded. President Xiomara Castro, center, with the minister of defense, Jose Manuel Zelaya, and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Jos Jorge Fortn, at a military ceremony in Tegucigalpa on 9 December. If you use our guide, do your own research, and practise common sense, you will have a safe trip to Honduras. But it has not yet resulted in an increase in police reports a key measure of public trust. In 2013, Honduras reformed the penal code to recognize femicide as a crime. The code also includes poorly constructed provisions that could lead to violations of the rights to assemble and protest and an overly broad definition of association to engage in terrorism, which could be used to criminalize and disproportionately punish behaviors that fall far short of what most reasonable observers would consider terrorism. Its dangerous there.. That measure has proved popular among the public in El Salvador, and has resulted in the arrest of more than 56,000 people for alleged gang ties. In June, police detained and beat bus drivers who were allegedly protesting not being able to work due to lockdown restrictions. Again, thank you! Donate now to support the IRC's life-changing work in Honduras, across northern Central America, and worldwide. Utila is unlike the rest of mainland Honduras in just about every way. 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.. It submitted the case to the court in April 2019 due to Honduras lack of compliance with its recommendations, such as introducing comprehensive policies to map and prevent anti-LGBT violence and designing training programs on anti-LGBT violence for state security bodies. In Honduras, the types of danger include, but are not limited to, violent gang activity, trafficking, rape, street crime and armed robbery. We provide cash to help people meet basic needs. Youll most likely get watered-down versions of Honduran food and Western stuff. That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. Share this via Twitter You should ask locals on the best routes to take to any given place. Women, children, the LGBTQ+ community, and returnees face ever growing conflict and risks, from the effects of climate change to the impacts of COVID-19 and violenceat home and on the streets.. Marvin Damin Castro Molina, who, as part of the Coordination of the Southern Social Environmental Movement for Life, fought mining, agro-industry, and hydroelectric projects, was abducted and found dead in Choluteca in July 2020. And for transparencys sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. Police presented a comprehensive plan to reform laws and ramp up institutional capacity measures that experts believe could have a positive effect long-term but which were pushed aside by the short-term political decision to declare a state of exception. There is an expat community inTrujillo. 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. Namely, being robbed. This coastal city is more welcoming togringos than other places and features beaches fringed bycoral reefsand theres a lot of new development happening here. Schools were closed from March onward due to the Covid-19 pandemic. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File PhotoReuters. Honduras Private Sector and Anti-Extortion Police: An Unholy Alliance? Thepublic busesconsist ofthe good oldchicken bus. Police reforms are most successful when theyre coupled with investments in social services and cross-cutting investments to address some of the root causes like poverty and exclusion that can cause crime in the first place, said Mary Malone, a professor at the University of New Hampshire who has studied policing in Central America. Along with Honduras, the IRC also identified Haiti and Venezuela as the countries most at risk of experiencing deteriorating humanitarian crises in 2022 in Latin America and the Caribbean. The first 2,000 inmates were transferred to El Salvador's new mega-prison for hardcore gangbangers. Prosecutors and whistleblowers have received death threats. 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. Nope. Roatan is the largest of the Honduras Bay Islands. Prolonged droughts have undermined food production, while in October 2021 a wildfire in the Guanaja region affected thousands. 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. To reduce overcrowding in response to the pandemic, the legislature approved alternatives to pretrial detention in June and judges released more than 1,600 people. Honduras major drug trafficking groups like the Cachiros and the Valles have largely been dismantled with the arrest and extradition of top leaders, but vestiges of these clans continue to operate. An eSIM works just like an app: you buy it, you download it, and BOOM! In Honduras, one of the most violent countries in the world, 60 percent of deaths are attributed to organized crime. It pays totravel smartin Honduras like ANYWHERE in the world. Youll also have to take care that your children dont stay in the sun fortoo long. Certain routes that these take have been the target ofarmed attacks. Its better for the environment and ends up being more economical in the long run. They forcibly recruit children and sexually abuse women, girls, and LGBT people. Almendares had repeatedly received death threats since 2017 in relation to his reporting. Iris Argentina lvarez of the Cerro Escondido peasant cooperative, which has been working to recover land currently owned by a sugar company, was killed and three people were injured during a violent and allegedly illegal eviction in Choluteca in April 2020. Of 25,000 gang members in 2012, nearly a fifth were children, UNICEF estimated. The measure, part of leftist President Xiomara Castro's crackdown on gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18, suspends some constitutional rights and allows security forces to detain people who they consider associated with or have committed crimes. In these demonstrations, more than 1,500 were arrested and30 people were killed. Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. The most extensive database on organized crime in the Americas. 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. We are going to eradicate extortion in every corner of our country.. Corruption, crime, and gang activity inhibits the ability to conduct business activities freely and dissuades entrepreneurs from establishing new businesses. Inside Honduras' most dangerous gangs 127,396 views Mar 8, 2020 1.2K Dislike Share Save Sky News 5.19M subscribers Warning: this report contains blurred images of dead bodies which some viewers. Women, children and the LGBTQ+ community are the ones most affected and we have seen the demand for services skyrocket It is essential to address the root causes of forced migration, a strategy that the current U.S. administration is adopting. There are high levels of crime in Honduras. There are many daily newspapers in Honduras where that constantly provide the latest updated news and information. There are alsopassenger ferriesif you want to go totheBay Islands. Theres alsoLa Ceiba. 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. We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact. It might sound like paradiseBut it isnt. As expected, the video went viral and the local newspapers made sure they put this trusted news source on their front page. It was a show: a show of force following the example set by the hardline policies of neighbouring El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele has led a controversial crackdown on gangs that has led to the detention of more than 2% of its adult population. Members of the military police of public order get ready during a special operation in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Juan Orlando Hernndez extolled his achievements as. (Reporting by Orfa Mejia in Tegucigalpa; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Leslie Adler). In April, Public Order Military Police (PMOP) officers severely beat three brothers and shot two of themone fatallyfor allegedly violating a curfew in El Paraso in order to sell bread. So. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File Photo. Itcan be safe as a solo female traveler in Honduras. That means getting used to gangs, violence, and corruption. In June 2020, a new criminal code came into effect. 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. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. Make sure to check the reviews from previous travellers to check for any problems during their stay. Its not 100% safe in Honduras. Share this via Telegram 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. It wont be down to the wire cutting edge info on the most current events, but it is layered in the expertise of veteran travellers. But if the peace in the condemning nations were to rupture the way it has in El Salvador and Honduras, we can bet they . Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can seriously get you in trouble. Because of human rights, crime has gone on so long, because human rights defend the criminal, and it shouldnt be like that, she said. Whether thats with friends and family back home, or with accommodation staff, or both. But before arriving, the car stopped and the caravan split. By BRENT MAZE.