Its also a nice place since the ferry toUtilaruns from here, making it easy to escape to the tropical paradise of theBay Islandswhenever you feel like it. 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. Theres a lot of fresh fish in places like, Steer clear of anything that you cant peel yourself. 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. Marred by corruption and abuse, the judiciary and police remain largely ineffective. 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. Chances are, if you are arriving via a cruise ship, you will be safe. People here live in pretty supreme poverty 60%of the population living in poverty really isa lot of people. These are pretty safe. 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.. This coastal city is more welcoming togringos than other places and features beaches fringed bycoral reefsand theres a lot of new development happening here. 18th Street, also known as Calle 18, Barrio 18, Mara 18, or simply La 18 in Central America, is a multi-ethnic (largely Central American and Mexican) transnational criminal organization that started as a street gang in Los Angeles.It is one of the largest transnational criminal gangs in Los Angeles, with 65,000 members between the United States, Mexico, and Central America and is also allied . Then there are quite a lot of gang wars as well. Please donate. Share this via Twitter I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. For Varela, who said she had never been a victim of extortion, but heard a lot about it as of late, human rights are just an obstacle. Dont eat at tourist traps. Reaching primary sources and getting the real story involve extensive fieldwork. While homicide rates have dropped in recent years, Honduras is still the most dangerous country in the region, with 38 homicides per 100,000 people. This year a crew member of a cruise ship was murdered on Roatan and that combined with the mainland of the country being used by cartels as part of the drug pipeline to the U.S., plus the current immigration crisis on the U.S. border all together add up to bad press for the country of Honduras. Poverty, violence, and insecurity are the main reasons for the high crime rate. From 2011 to 2017, the number of killings in Honduras actually dropped, from 87 per 100,000 to 44. By MARLON GONZLEZ November 25, 2022. Women, children and the LGBTQ+ community are the ones most affected and we have seen the demand for services skyrocket, while the organizations delivering aid need increased resources to be able to staff up to meet the urgent needs, says Meg Galas, director for northern Central America at the IRC. Its not 100% safe in Honduras. 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. Transgender woman activist killed in Honduras FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. Gang wars and fights with the police are common in this city. Is Honduras safe for solo female travelers? Its better for the environment and ends up being more economical in the long run. At the same time, we need to acknowledge that it will take time for systems to change, but families across Honduras cannot waitthey have immediate needs to be safe and secure. Honduras Private Sector and Anti-Extortion Police: An Unholy Alliance? Drug trafficking gangs, corruption, and extreme poverty keep Honduras down. So keep that in mind and have a read of our safety tips for solo female travelers thinking of taking a trip to Honduras. Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. (Reporting by Orfa Mejia in Tegucigalpa; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Leslie Adler). Hardline policies, meanwhile, are popular because people think that theyre going to work but inevitably the track record is that they havent, said Malone. Classes were broadcast on television, radio, and online, in some cases with assignments sent via Whatsapp. Its just better to have a local driver drive you around. 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. Security experts are divided on how much the perception is the result of sensationalist media coverage, a real rise, a little of both or simply the continued expansion of a problem that has metastasized for two decades. 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. Many women are choosing to flee the violence in their communities. Honduras. 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. They practice war taxing, which is essentially just demanding money from people. The data was compiled by Citizen Council for Public Security, Justice, and Peace, a Mexican. Subscribe. The government relies heavily on the military for public security. Members of the military police of public order get ready during a special operation in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. Established in 2016 by the government and the Organization of American States (OAS), theMACCIHcontributed to the prosecution of 133 people, including congresspeople and senior officials, 14 of whom faced criminal trials. In the 2010s, Honduras' homicide rate skyrocketed, peaking in 2011 and slowly declining since. Its a wild world out there. 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. People live here with children, by themselves, as couples, some retire here, and some people have even started up their own hostelsor otherbusinesses. 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. ACNUR acoge con satisfaccin la aprobacin de la ley sobre desplazamiento interno en Honduras Format News and Press Release Source. Is your phone eSIM ready? This includes 2,838,450 Pfizer doses and 3,250,140 Moderna doses. A study by the National Violence Observatory of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) placed the country as the most violent territory in Central America, with a homicide rate of 38.5 per 100,000 inhabitants. It suspends some Constitutional rights and gives police more powers to arrest and hold suspects. Its a massive issue. UNHCR; Posted 22 Dec 2022 Originally published 22 . Heres what you need to know about the growing crisis in Honduras. Not only that, but thecorruptionin everything the low to the high levels of the politics here is standard. Jesse Watters: Buying mace in Manhattan is almost as hard as getting a gun. 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. 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. Some victims of extortion said that the only thing that has changed is how the money is collected. If we didnt have Bukeles example, we could probably look for some control and security responses based on strengthening institutions.. Abortionisillegalin Honduras in all circumstances. This helps keep everyone in poverty. There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. 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). . This is when things can get sketchy. But it was not a tremor, nor a tsunami. As of August, prisons had reported 1,700 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 38 deaths. He estimated the companies and drivers have paid an average of about $10 million per month to the gangs in order to operate. 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. In 2014, the United Nations reported that 95 percent of cases of sexual violence and femicide in Honduras were never even investigated. And Honduras has been struggling to build representative democracy, to fight corruption and crime. 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. Of course, while it's not ever good to generalize an. Gangs, particularly the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street Gang (Barrio 18), are considered to be largely responsible for Honduras murder rate, and are infamous for extortion and drug peddling. We hope these measures work and remain in place.. Security forces committed abuses while enforcing a nationwide Covid-19 lockdown that President Juan Orlando Hernndez imposed in March. Lucky for you,youre not a Honduran citizen. Locals have to pay war taxes which keeps the poverty rate high as well. InSight Crime's 2022 Homicide Round-Up covers more countries than ever before, with a major expansion into nations of the Caribbean. Until his life grew increasingly violent. Gang violence is a big issue in Honduras. Most serious crime does not affect tourists, but attacks on foreigners, including armed robbery and sexual assault, do sometimes occur. Sometimes the drivers are assaulted. Feb. 21, 2023, at 6:11 p.m. Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency for Second Time. It is important to know that Utila is very much a developed backpacker hotspot. As world leaders met for the United Nations General Assembly, Latin American presidents expressed various concerns about organized crime. The state of emergency, in place since Dec. 6 in 165 areas of Honduras' largest two cities, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, has been expanded to 235 of the country's 298 municipalities, the national police said. 20 Top Safety Tips for Traveling to Honduras. This isnt one for first-time backpackers. Youre connected. Support focuses primarily on reintegration into the labor market, rather than assistance for people who fled seeking international protection. 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 So. The Bay Islands are the only palace in Honduras that can (kind of) be considered somewhat safe. Here, you will find safety knowledge and advice for travelling Honduras. There are some safety pointsthat travelers should know for anywhere they travel, but Honduras requires these special considerations. People are frisked in Tegucigalpa on 26 November. And there are roads that have higher levels ofattacks,including carjacking. 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. Share this via Reddit Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. 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. All rights reserved. TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduran authorities reported on Monday the discovery of more than 1.6 million coca leaf bushes in the most important. I agree with Bukele and I want the same here. Make sure to check the reviews from previous travellers to check for any problems during their stay. But if youre thinking about it, here are some tips. It provided a family, a sense of belonging. 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. Thepublic busesconsist ofthe good oldchicken bus. This should not distract, however, from the fact that there are life-threatening problems that residents of Honduras struggle with daily. Enjoy your travels! That said, the governmentclaimsthere has been a 52%decreasein violent crime over the past five years. There are taxi ranks in a lot of locations. Read the entire Travel Advisory. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File Photo. "Today at dawn, in a single operation, we transferred the first 2,000 gang . Since the end of the last decade, political protection has allowed the traditional drug trafficking groups to flourish. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. Gangs control areas within the same communities,. Prisons saw significant Covid-19 outbreaks. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to two main gangs : Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. And watch out for bad road conditions after heavy rain. In November 2020, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights heard the case of Vicky Hernndez, a trans woman allegedly extrajudicially executed in 2009. A collection of moments during and after Barack Obama's presidency. Historically, governments have responded with iron-fist security strategies to combat organized crime, enacting tougher legislation and increasing police presence and mass detentions. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. So when it comes to safetyin Honduras, we think youllgenerallybe fine, especially in the Bay Islands. Everyone from children to adults are recruited. The storms, among other shocks, led to higher levels of food scarcity while weakening the states capacity to cope with displacement. Just in case, thats No quiero compartir el taxi.. 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. Seth Sidney Berry / SOPA Images/Sipa USA (Sipa via AP Images), Share this via Facebook There have been protests due tocontested election results in late 2017. On average, children living in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador are 10 times more likely to be killed than a child who lives in the United States. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional Some areas have increased risk. Its not very safe to drive in Honduras. Reconsider travel to Honduras due to crime. On theCaribbean coast, there are plenty of delicious dishes to sample, with tortillasand things likerefried beansserved up with every meal. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File PhotoReuters. Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. The first 2,000 inmates were transferred to El Salvador's new mega-prison for hardcore gangbangers. 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. And people do go. It can get SUPER hot in Honduras. World Nomads mission is to support and encourage travellers to explore their boundaries. Investigating organized crime is an expensive and often risky enterprise. TEGUCIGALPA, Jan 7 (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. Note that they are generally safe to visit during the day (with a bit of caution obviously), especially if you have a local guide, but should be fully avoided at night. In June, police detained and beat bus drivers who were allegedly protesting not being able to work due to lockdown restrictions. Honduras, in general, is open and welcoming to children. Its just that easy. Especiallythrough a tour company. The likelihood of you getting caught up in all that relies very much on you being somehow related to one of the gangs. Police chief Gustavo Sanchez said the decision, based on what he told journalists were good results during December, will allow continued reductions in crime and violence. This rule especially goes at night. Extortion in Latin America continues to bring in fortunes for criminal gangs. This is due to negotiationsbetween criminal groups and the government, and possibly because of economic aid from the US. Your laptop deserves a proper pack, and we know a good few! October 4, 2021 The U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras is pleased to announce a donation from the government of the United States of 250,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to the people of Honduras. Honduras may have one of the highest murder rates in the world, and as a solo female traveler, that doesnt sound very inviting as a destination. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. Anyone else would do well with a trusted tour group. After a 2019 wave of gang violence that killed 37 detainees, President Hernndez declared a state of emergency and put prisons under military control. A large chunk of thosearrived via cruise ships, however. Just 18 percent of Hondurans have internet access in their homes and a quarter of homes in rural areas dont have electricity. In Honduras, Police Accused Of Corruption, Killings Hernndez ran for reelection in 2017 a controversial move in Honduras. You basically pay for safety, but better safe than sorry wed say. A Honduran woman and her children manage to cross the remnants of a bridge destroyed by Hurricane Iota. Womenand girls who terminate pregnancies face prison sentences of up to six years. Seeing the world without anyone to answer to, getting to challenge yourself andgrow as a person. Radio taxisare always a better option than hailing one off the street. But before arriving, the car stopped and the caravan split. They offer simple & flexible travel insurance, and safety advice to help you travel confidently. The country has the second-highest rate of femicidedefined as the killing of a woman by a man because of her genderin Latin America, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean reports. Click here to read the full story: 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison. Testimony provided by drug traffickers and Honduran politicians on trial in the United States have revealed the deep-seated connection between organized crime and the governing National Party. Extortions generate annual profits of up to $737 million for gangs, nearly 3% of the country's gross domestic product, according to data from Association for a More Just Society, a security-focused non-governmental organization. The flavors, spices and. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. You should ask locals on the best routes to take to any given place. Our work is costly and high risk. Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committees Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. Overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, poor sanitation, beatings, intra-gang violence, and detainee killings are endemic in prisons. This helps keep everyone in poverty. Women - Honduras has the fifth-highest rate of violence against women in the world. Between the pandemic, ever-worsening cultural division, and a click-hungry media, it can be hard to maintain what is truth and what is sensationalism. January 26, 2022 At a glance Population: 10.1 million 2.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid Over60% of the populationlive below the poverty line. 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. How to tackle it is another issue. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. Traveling here is definitely adventurous, but that doesnt mean its off-limits for solo travelers. Theyre run by private companies, obviously, and aremore expensivethan public buses. It is not just murder, it's also the shocking numbers of rape, assault, and domestic violence cases, happening with near-total impunity. STANTON COUNTY, Neb. Look and see where locals are eating. Violent crime is at its peak in Honduras. In January 2020, the government shut down the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH). Donate now to support the IRC's life-changing work in Honduras, across northern Central America, and worldwide. The media and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reported several cases of abusive police enforcement of the Covid-19 lockdown. Certain routes that these take have been the target ofarmed attacks. There are private coach servicesthat connect cities and towns that are usually moremaintained and more comfortable than the chicken buses. Corruption, poor governance, and. Two private security officers were charged. Crisis in Honduras: Ongoing violence and climate shocks Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committee's Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. 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. Share this via Telegram Honduras is one of the murder capitals of the world. 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. https://t.co/xQGbbyZXXv. Plus theres Copan: the ancientMayanarchaeological site, complete with amazing sculptures. And theyre generally safe. The new criminal code decriminalized defamation, but retains other crimes of honorincluding insult and slanderwhich have been used to prosecute journalists in the past. Gangs attacking other gangs. We need to address these immediate needs too.. International Rescue Committee is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. 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. Utila is unlike the rest of mainland Honduras in just about every way. Shootings are very common in poorer areas too. 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. All of these are in Santa Barbara Department, which also sees hijackings aroundTela, La Ceiba, andEl Progresoas well asTrujillo. The police chief in Honduras reported 356 fewer homicides between Dec. 6, 2022 and Feb 20, 2023, compared to the period Dec. 6, 2021 to Feb. 20, 2022. All that in mind, there are places that expats dolive in Honduras. Excessive use of force by police and deployment of the military in public security operations continued in 2020. 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. Public buildings, transportation, and information and communication services open to the public are not fully accessible to people with disabilities. The new code also includes alternatives to detention for low-level crimes, including partial prison sentences and penalties that allow for conditional release. We travel with a filter bottle, the GRAYL GEOPRESS or we just boil the water for a few minutes and store in a refillable water bottle. But nongovernmental organizations have tallied several thousand human rights violations and at least 80 in-custody deaths of people arrested during the state of exception. They forcibly recruit children and sexually abuse women, girls, and LGBT people. Trump, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, announced a slate of futuristic new policies in a campaign video Friday. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Journalists, environmental activists,lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals,and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted forviolence. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. This is essentially anunsafecountry. Traveling around the country is a more complicated matter. And when it comes to the extreme violence of Honduras, thosevery highfigures come from gang violence. Not really. 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. 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. Here is available the most popular Honduras Newspapers list. Roatan is the more developed, more expensive, and family friendly big brother of Utila. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. We are going to eradicate extortion in every corner of our country.. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Gender-based violence in Honduras is also among the highest in the region and has increased during the pandemic. We are all about smart travel and were here to help you travel smart too. City busestravel around the cities and towns themselves. The former vice president has become the Democratic front-runner with primary victories across the country. Human rights defenders have said they will monitor the measures. In fact, most people in Honduras have a family member in a gang. More information. 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. But Honduras is far from Eden. Chatting to them means getting first-hand knowledge, and means your experience is going to be a lot richer. FILE - Honduras' President Xiomara Castro addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, Sept. 20, 2022. 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