Its a massive issue. The violence is carried out by local drug trafficking groups, gangs, corrupt security forces and transnational criminal organizations mainly from Mexico and Colombia. STANTON COUNTY, Neb. It also documented widespread mistreatment of people detained and arrested during the protests. The new criminal code decriminalized defamation, but retains other crimes of honorincluding insult and slanderwhich have been used to prosecute journalists in the past. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by backpackers, dive shops, hostels, burger shacks, smoothie stands, and pirate bars. 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. His unit was headed to the Hole a labyrinthine neighbourhood of narrow streets, whose nickname was originally coined because of its location between sharp hillsides, but which has taken on a new meaning as a place where gang members disappear. Marred by corruption and abuse, the judiciary and police remain largely ineffective. As the camera rolled, the police began stopping vehicles passing by in the background, running ID cards and frisking occupants. The mission in early December was ostensibly to raid a casa loca, an abandoned home used by gang members. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. Theyre old U.S. school buses that are poorly maintained,andovercrowded. To Desafio, the Barrio 18 gang in Honduras was everything. 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. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. Honduras, in general, is open and welcoming to children. So keep that in mind and have a read of our safety tips for solo female travelers thinking of taking a trip to Honduras. Political power brokers also have ties to drug smuggling and have even run trafficking operations themselves. In January 2020, the government shut down the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH). You will have to agree on a pricebefore you get in. Violence against LGBT individuals forces many to leave their homes, fleeing internally or leaving the country to seek asylum. The vaccine doses arrived in the Honduran capital on October 4 2021. Here, you will find safety knowledge and advice for travelling Honduras. The measure must still be approved by Congress. 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. So how do they do it?. These are the things to avoid in Honduras: Avoid looking wealthy or like a tourist Avoid the beaches after dark Dont use ATMs at night Stay away from drugs. 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. That means suncream, sun-hats, and limiting time in the sun. 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. An illegal immigrant from Honduras was sentenced to 60 years in prison Friday for the killing of a Florida man in Jacksonville in 2021, prosecutors said. That said, the governmentclaimsthere has been a 52%decreasein violent crime over the past five years. Some are deprived of full legal capacity and are institutionalized in different settings, including psychiatric hospitals. Xiomara should hurry up and go after all those gang members, said Isidora Varela, 70, at her market stand in downtown Tegucigalpa. 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. Abortionisillegalin Honduras in all circumstances. Those who work in the transportation sector (taxi and bus drivers) are notable targets of gangs, but many are unable to flee for fear of retaliatory violence against themselves and their . Dont eat at tourist traps. 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. generally, if youre visiting with a guided tour, you should be fine. (Reporting by Orfa Mejia in Tegucigalpa; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Leslie Adler). 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. . The likelihood of you getting caught up in all that relies very much on you being somehow related to one of the gangs. 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. 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. Activistssaythegovernments Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists, Human Rights Defenders and Operators of Justice, created in 2015, lacks uniform criteria and is ineffective. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. 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.. Until his life grew increasingly violent. But traveling there is possible, of course. You basically pay for safety, but better safe than sorry wed say. We are going to eradicate extortion in every corner of our country.. There are some safety pointsthat travelers should know for anywhere they travel, but Honduras requires these special considerations. Nope. 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. 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. So whilst its gettingsafer, its a slow process. In Honduras, the types of danger include, but are not limited to, violent gang activity, trafficking, rape, street crime and armed robbery. So. Every 18 hours, a woman is a victim of a violent death. There are alsopassenger ferriesif you want to go totheBay Islands. if youre visiting Honduras, you will have to avoid this city completely. 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. Not really. Everyone from children to adults are recruited. ACNUR acoge con satisfaccin la aprobacin de la ley sobre desplazamiento interno en Honduras Format News and Press Release Source. 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. Its just better to have a local driver drive you around. A ferry also runs betweenTrujilloandGuanaja. On theCaribbean coast, there are plenty of delicious dishes to sample, with tortillasand things likerefried beansserved up with every meal. Chronic violence, climate crisis and the impacts of COVID-19 have deepened humanitarian needs and driven displacement. Honduras | Today's latest from Al Jazeera Honduras Peru pulls ambassador from Honduras amid regional criticism Peru has struggled with diplomatic isolation as left-wing. Honduras is one of the most important drug trafficking operation centers between South America and Mexico. 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. Simple as that. And watch out for bad road conditions after heavy rain. 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 first 2,000 inmates were transferred to El Salvador's new mega-prison for hardcore gangbangers. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File PhotoReuters. FILE PHOTO: Police raid a house after Honduras' President Xiomara Castro (not pictured) mobilised . And people do go. Hardline policies, meanwhile, are popular because people think that theyre going to work but inevitably the track record is that they havent, said Malone. 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 . The rate of young people killing other young people is down to twomain gangs:Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) andBarrio 18. Honduras and theUS signed anasylum cooperative agreement in 2019, whereby Honduras agreed to receivenon-Honduran asylum-seekerstransferred by the US. Honduras has been through a lot in recent years. Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. Allegations that senior politicians had been benefiting financially from the drug trade contributed to the unrest. The government of Honduras is committed to attracting more tourists. via REUTERS. Other ways to share But Honduras is far from Eden. Get a quote below or read our in-depth review! 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. Even if they graduate high school, they can't get a job." Were not going to lie its pretty sketchy. LGBTpeople in Honduras are frequently the targets of violence and discrimination, according to Human Rights Watch research. Honduras. So youll likely escape having to pay war tax (or facing the consequences). Planning a safe trip to Honduras can get quite overwhelming. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide and armed robbery, is common. 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. 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. Plus theres Copan: the ancientMayanarchaeological site, complete with amazing sculptures. Do your own research. Share this via Printer, As More Climate Chaos Looms, Slashing Fossil Fuels Is Key. 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. Politicians are manipulated by criminals or other politicians. Almendares had repeatedly received death threats since 2017 in relation to his reporting. Its a mix of European, indigenous and Caribbean influence, and youll love it. In 2013, Honduras reformed the penal code to recognize femicide as a crime. This rule especially goes at night. Youll be able to travel around here with relative ease. Late Thursday, Nov. 24, Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional rights so as to round up gang members. Seth Sidney Berry / SOPA Images/Sipa USA (Sipa via AP Images), Share this via Facebook The U.S. government estimates that approximately 4% of all cocaine shipments from South America passed through Honduras by air or sea in 2019 of cocaine, equivalent to a U.S. street value of over $11.5 billion at current rates. At the same time, traveling alone can be stressful, boring, lonely, anddangerous in varying quantities. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. Youll most likely get watered-down versions of Honduran food and Western stuff. Weve made it pretty clear that Honduras isnt the safest country. Gang wars and fights with the police are common in this city. Again, thank you! 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. "Today at dawn, in a single operation, we transferred the first 2,000 gang . Xiomara Castros crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasnt done enough to combat crime. 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. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. 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. Im nervous, repeated a young police officer driving a pickup truck crowded with heavily armed special forces officers. The criminal justice system regularly fails to hold those responsible for homicides to account. Gender-based violence in Honduras is also among the highest in the region and has increased during the pandemic. - 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. The government had granted him protective measures in January 2019. We get it. 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. 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. According to the U.N., Honduras has the highest femicide rate in the world. Its better for the environment and ends up being more economical in the long run. 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. How to tackle it is another issue. 2023, The Broke Backpacker. Almost 110,000 Hondurans were returned in 2019, mostly from Mexico. Schools were closed from March onward due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the political gains to be had from emulating Bukeles hardline policies may be too enticing to pass up. So backpacking Honduras isnt always just a breeze. 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. These are the safest islands: Once you get off the ferry in Utila you have officially entered an alternate reality. Also in February, the OAS special rapporteur on freedom of expression called on Honduras to decriminalize defamation and to properly investigate killings of journalists. 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. 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. There are taxi ranks in a lot of locations. There are an estimated 115,000 gang members. Visiting Honduras right now is as safe as it ever was:not very. 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. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. From 2011 to 2017, the number of killings in Honduras actually dropped, from 87 per 100,000 to 44. Utila is unlike the rest of mainland Honduras in just about every way. Historically, governments have responded with iron-fist security strategies to combat organized crime, enacting tougher legislation and increasing police presence and mass detentions. Honduras isnt a gay-friendly country, however, there are some movements that are going in the right direction. Wed,03/01/23-8:26AM, 3 Reads. February 18 2022 Receive free Honduras updates We'll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Honduras news every morning. 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. Prisons saw significant Covid-19 outbreaks. Over60% of the populationlive below the poverty line. Late Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional 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. The storms, among other shocks, led to higher levels of food scarcity while weakening the states capacity to cope with displacement. 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. And that is pretty cool. The law also sanctions abortion providers. Reaching primary sources and getting the real story involve extensive fieldwork. In Honduras, one of the most violent countries in the world, 60 percent of deaths are attributed to organized crime. By 2020 they want an additional milliontourists annually. (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. Individuals and state agents continute to threaten and attack journalists, press freedom groups report. 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. Impunity for human rights abuses, violent crime, and corruption remains the norm, even as the prison population has mushroomed. Honduras partially suspends constitutional rights to tackle gangs, Its a war on the people: El Salvadors mass arrests send thousands into despair, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. That said, the development that has taken place has not totally sucked the island dry of its charm. Honduras deploys soldiers on anti-crime patrols - 1 hr 50 mins ago TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - The Honduran government has deployed soldiers to perform anti-crime patrols in some of the Central American country's most violent cities, following the massacre of 18 people in a shoe factory this week. We also provide critical, up-to-date information and support from trained moderators through CuntaNos, a digital platform that is part of the Global Signpost project. Theres a lot to learn about Honduras that goes beyond gangs and beaches. This is essentially anunsafecountry. 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. 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. Thats why we listed the no-go areas in Honduras below. Share this via Twitter 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. In terms of murder rate, it's the second most violent country in Central or South America, trailing only Venezuela. Gangs attacking other gangs. Clearly, with the pandemic, that goal wasnt reached, but its not been forgotten either. But this article is written for savvy travellers from the perspective of savvy travellers. 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. 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. Jesse Watters: Buying mace in Manhattan is almost as hard as getting a gun. Roatan is the more developed, more expensive, and family friendly big brother of Utila. However, if you decide to travel independently, youll face quite a few challenges. A new country, a new contract, a new piece of plastic booooring. Seeing the world without anyone to answer to, getting to challenge yourself andgrow as a person. Dont drink the water without treating, and steer clear of ice cubes,too. 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. 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 we didnt have Bukeles example, we could probably look for some control and security responses based on strengthening institutions.. Drug trafficking gangs, corruption, and extreme poverty keep Honduras down. 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. An eSIM works just like an app: you buy it, you download it, and BOOM! In September, two men shot and killed journalist Luis Alonzo Almendares in Comayagua. And there are roads that have higher levels ofattacks,including carjacking. Dont open the door for anyone, unless youre expecting a visit. Following domestic and international criticism, the government backtracked and a week later re-established constitutional free speech guarantees. Locals have to pay war taxes which keeps the poverty rate high as well. 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. More than half of detained men and two-thirds of detained women were in pretrial detention. Click here to read the full story: 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison. Indeed, Honduras is seeing a plague of femicidesa woman is murdered every 36 hours, mostly by an intimate partner. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Shootings are very common in poorer areas too. Itcan be safe as a solo female traveler in Honduras. These. Members of the military police of public order get ready during a special operation in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. 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 For your trip to Honduras, our handy guide has you covered. Were not going to say its thesafest place to travel,nor is it going to be the easiestplace to travel as a solo female. Read the entire Travel Advisory. City busestravel around the cities and towns themselves. The UNspecialrapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders called Honduras one of the most dangerous countries for human rights defenders in Latin America. Dont put yourself through that stress. Honduras recorded 3,496 murders in 2020. Category 5 hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Honduras in November 2020 and have had enduring impacts on farmersand the public generallyby destroying subsistence farms, killing livestock by the hundreds of thousands and reducing agricultural production. 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. 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. msn back to msn home news Skip To Navigation 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. This is an issue that has not been taken seriously by the Honduran state.. You should ask locals on the best routes to take to any given place. That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. Poverty, violence, and insecurity are the main reasons for the high crime rate. In 2014, the United Nations reported that 95 percent of cases of sexual violence and femicide in Honduras were never even investigated. Violence: Honduras reached a . Alongside her husband, Sasha, she co-founded the. Members include officers from the police, the military, and the Attorneys General Office. This coastal city is more welcoming togringos than other places and features beaches fringed bycoral reefsand theres a lot of new development happening here. In 2018, the government created a special force to fight gangs (Fuerza Nacional Anti Maras y pandillas). Dont expect to discover an undeveloped private island. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 36.33, a 13.52% decline from 2019. Honduras is one of themurder capitalsof the world. But if the peace in the condemning nations were to rupture the way it has in El Salvador and Honduras, we can bet they . One example:tajadas(fried plantains, topped with cabbage and served with ground beef). 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. Enjoy your travels! These drug trafficking gangs rule peoples lives. Public buildings, transportation, and information and communication services open to the public are not fully accessible to people with disabilities. This new donation is in addition to the 81,900 doses of Pfizer . Well Public transportation can be alittle trickyin Honduras, and its not always safe.
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