Use these tips to reduce the risk, but we also recommend that you pack some medication fit for a bad stomach. 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. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. 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. The US is losing allies in Latin America just as production of cocaine, fentanyl, and other synthetic drugs is going through the roof. 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. if youre visiting Honduras, you will have to avoid this city completely. Gang violence and organized crime are leading causes of displacement from Honduras. 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. As the camera rolled, the police began stopping vehicles passing by in the background, running ID cards and frisking occupants. Keeping yourself away from any situation to do with them will be a good way to keep yourself pretty much safe. 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. Excessive use of force by police and deployment of the military in public security operations continued in 2020. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy. . How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. Overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, poor sanitation, beatings, intra-gang violence, and detainee killings are endemic in prisons. It has experienced one of the world's highest homicide rates, with multiple forms of violence linked to drug trafficking groups. Corruption, crime, and gang activity inhibits the ability to conduct business activities freely and dissuades entrepreneurs from establishing new businesses. Its not 100% safe in Honduras. This has a pretty good expat community too. That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. Sometimes the drivers are assaulted. document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This website uses cookies to improve your experience. However, More than2 million touristsvisited in 2017. In February 2020, it called on El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico to protect the rights of migrants and refugees to leave their country of origin, noting that asylum applications from Central America and Mexico grew 50-fold from 2012 to 2018. 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. It is honestly NOT safe to drink the water in Honduras. Honduras Private Sector and Anti-Extortion Police: An Unholy Alliance? Classes were broadcast on television, radio, and online, in some cases with assignments sent via Whatsapp. A large chunk of thosearrived via cruise ships, however. Locals have to pay war taxes which keeps the poverty rate high as well. These are the safest islands: Once you get off the ferry in Utila you have officially entered an alternate reality. Otherwise, thanks for your ear and stay safe! 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. The media and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reported several cases of abusive police enforcement of the Covid-19 lockdown. Drug trafficking gangs, corruption, and extreme poverty keep Honduras down. There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. Close, Is Honduras Safe for Travel? Subscribe. The streets of major cities like Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula are gripped by crime and conflict. Not only that, but thecorruptionin everything the low to the high levels of the politics here is standard. I agree with Bukele and I want the same here. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional San Pedro Sula (Spanish pronunciation: [sam pedo sula]) is the capital of Corts Department, Honduras.It is located in the northwest corner of the country in the Sula Valley, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Puerto Corts on the Caribbean Sea.With a population of 671,460 in the central urban area (2020 calculation) and a population of 1,445,598 in its metropolitan area in 2020 . 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. Wed say only experienced, intrepid travelers should tackle this one alone. 2023, The Broke Backpacker. Read on for more detailed information on how to have a safe trip to Honduras. Just 18 percent of Hondurans have internet access in their homes and a quarter of homes in rural areas dont have electricity. 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. 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. Wed,03/01/23-8:26AM, 3 Reads. 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. It also documented widespread mistreatment of people detained and arrested during the protests. Of course, being a woman anywhere is going to come with additional risk. Already vulnerable people in Honduras live in an evolving humanitarian crisis, says IRC protection coordinator Zuleyma Chahin. It provided a family, a sense of belonging. There are an estimated 115,000 gang members. With those come violenceandpoverty. An eSIM works just like an app: you buy it, you download it, and BOOM! TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Lanza said drivers had been asking for a crackdown for years. Anyone else would do well with a trusted tour group. They practice "war taxing", which is essentially just demanding money from people. But the thing iswomen DO travel alone to Honduras. You can definitely push your luck by staying in the wrong neighborhood as well. 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. One good thing I can say about Roatan is that the dive sites are excellent around the island. Dont drink the water without treating, and steer clear of ice cubes,too. Theres alsoLa Ceiba. Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. generally, if youre visiting with a guided tour, you should be fine. El Salvador and Honduras have been condemned by the "civilized" world. A Honduran woman and her children manage to cross the remnants of a bridge destroyed by Hurricane Iota. 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. Honduras newspaper, TV channel news, online portal news, and magazine sites are getting popularity day by day around the world. 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Historically, governments have responded with iron-fist security strategies to combat organized crime, enacting tougher legislation and increasing police presence and mass detentions. Hondurans are warm and welcoming people whohave to live day in, day out with the violence in their country. All rights reserved. An audit of government purchases of medical supplies to fight Covid-19 revealed supplies worth tens of millions of dollars had gone missing. Late Thursday, Nov. 24, Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional rights so as to round up gang members. However, if you decide to travel independently, youll face quite a few challenges. Whilst many people DO live here, it doesnt mean Honduras is safe to live. There is an expat community inTrujillo. The story 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison was published by the Associated Press on 2022-07-04 18:29:24. However, whilst its quite dangerous, the government is promoting tourism in Honduras. Earlier this year, Honduras appeared set to follow an example set by another neighbor, Nicaragua, whose community-based policing approach was for years hailed for maintaining exceptionally low crime rates and minimal gang presence until the government turned the police into a repressive force against the people amid widespread protests in 2018. 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. Its prettyextreme. Almendares had repeatedly received death threats since 2017 in relation to his reporting. Corruption, fear of retribution, and limited access to essential health services . Roatan is the more developed, more expensive, and family friendly big brother of Utila. La Ceibaon the northern coast, with mountains, jungles, and beaches, is a chilled and adventurous area to explore. February 18 2022 Receive free Honduras updates We'll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Honduras news every morning. People are frisked in Tegucigalpa on 26 November. Well be answering super important questions including How safe is Honduras right now? and Is it safe to live in Honduras? We also give loads of tips for solo travelers and families. The groups most likely to be internally displaced or leave the country are children subjected to forced gang recruitment, professionals and business owners who face extortion, domestic violence survivors, and LGBT people and members of ethnic minorities who face violence and discrimination. You should ask locals on the best routes to take to any given place. 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. 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. Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market andditch the plastic. 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. Women - Honduras has the fifth-highest rate of violence against women in the world. 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 There are 37 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, and all 18 provinces are. We provide cash to help people meet basic needs. As a result, humanitarian needs for food, health, nutrition and protection have increased. Gender-based violence in Honduras is also among the highest in the region and has increased during the pandemic. They offer simple & flexible travel insurance, and safety advice to help you travel confidently. At nighttime, you should really get a taxi. Enjoy your travels! Instead, buy an eSIM! So far, the state of exception in Honduras has produced some arrests and forced the gangs and other criminal groups to keep a lower profile. Journalists, environmental activists, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT). But if youre thinking about it, here are some tips. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. So keep that in mind and have a read of our safety tips for solo female travelers thinking of taking a trip to Honduras. In the 2010s, Honduras' homicide rate skyrocketed, peaking in 2011 and slowly declining since. It was Zelaya's intention to seek a second term that coup leaders. Clearly, with the pandemic, that goal wasnt reached, but its not been forgotten either. You dont know how clean the persons hands are whos been peeling and chopping the, Dont go TOO in on the food when you first arrive, especially if you get ill from food quite easily. Allegations that senior politicians had been benefiting financially from the drug trade contributed to the unrest. 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. Honduran soldiers wearing facemasks guard the entrance to the city of San Pedro Sula during the coronavirus crisis on April 17, 2020. 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. There are alsopassenger ferriesif you want to go totheBay Islands. The MS13 and Barrio 18 street gangs control urban neighborhoods in the countrys two major cities Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula and rural towns close to the border with El Salvador. Domestic and sexual violence are also widespread, with women and children bearing the brunt. They are taxed by gangs. Officials flew Garza, a 48-year-old . Especiallythrough a tour company. Lucky for you,youre not a Honduran citizen. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File Photo. Its just better to have a local driver drive you around. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide and armed robbery, is common. 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. 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. Of course, while it's not ever good to generalize an. And theyre generally safe. In December 2018, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights found Honduras responsible for failing to investigate Hernndezs death. 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. And were not going to lie,Honduras doesnt exactly lend itself to solo travel. Independent travel is going to require A LOT of being careful. Everyone from children to adults are recruited. Reconsider travel to Honduras due to crime. As of August 2020, more than 21,000 people were detained in prisons with capacity for just under 11,000. Here's a list of 14: 1. A quarter of women and girls become pregnant before turning 18the second-highest rate in Latin America. And people do go. Since 2012, the Honduran police have implemented a program sponsored by the US Department of State called Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) which aims to discourage youth crime and gang recruitment. The government of Honduras is committed to attracting more tourists. In the streets where insecurity lurks around each corner, many ordinary Hondurans want to see extreme measures human rights be damned and believe that anything short of that is not enough. In July, police arrested two men in connection to the 2020 killings of 45 TV reporter Germn Vallecillo Jr. and his cameraman, Jorge Posas, in La Ceiba. 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. Copyright International Rescue Committee, 2023. crises in 2022 in Latin America and the Caribbean, top 10 crises the world cant ignore in 2022, calling for stronger international cooperation, 2.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid, 36% of funding received for 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan, 937,000 disaster-induced displacements in 2020, 3.3 million people facing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity in 2022. Despite recent educational advances, around a third of children aged 3-17 did not attend school in 2018, according to the most recent survey by the National Statistics Institute. More than half of detained men and two-thirds of detained women were in pretrial detention. 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.. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can seriously get you in trouble. As expected, the video went viral and the local newspapers made sure they put this trusted news source on their front page. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2018 was 38.93, a 5.01% decline from 2017. The mission in early December was ostensibly to raid a casa loca, an abandoned home used by gang members. The government relies heavily on the military for public security. Get the latest news about the IRC's innovative programs, compelling stories about our clients and how you can make a difference. This is essentially anunsafecountry. We hope these measures work and remain in place.. Its a country with a big heart. Women in Honduras face high levels of gender-based violence. 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. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. But if you meet the local ladies andlearn about their livesyoure going to have a VERY enriching experience on your hands. Share this via WhatsApp (Insider Tips), https://www.facebook.com/gratefulgypsies/, https://www.instagram.com/gratefulgypsies/, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn5T0r4o5KV4qoyQyR7Buww, https://www.pinterest.com/gratefulgypsies/, Traveller, teacher, writer, and bonafide music lover, Rachel Lee is a Tennessee-born human with a passion for movement. According to a State Department report last year, there are up to 10,000 gang members in Honduras, a country with roughly 8 million people. 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. In certain areas, yes Honduras is safe to travel for families. People do it. By 2020 they want an additional milliontourists annually. The men remained missing at time of writing. Sat Navs might not always tell you the best route. And Hondurascan be a safe place for solo female travelers, but wed only recommend it after some solo travel experience. FromLimonestoLa Union, fromGualacotoSan Esteban,and fromLa EsperanzatoGraciasThese routes can bedangerous. Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 36.33, a 13.52% decline from 2019. Most serious crime does not affect tourists, but attacks on foreigners, including armed robbery and sexual assault, do sometimes occur. Its a wild world out there. Prosecutors and whistleblowers have received death threats. Nevertheless, the political gains to be had from emulating Bukeles hardline policies may be too enticing to pass up. FILE PHOTO: Police raid a house after Honduras' President Xiomara Castro (not pictured) mobilised . Honduras is one of the murder capitals of the world.
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