Efforts to reform public-security institutions have stalled. Honduras declares state of emergency against gang crime Dont put yourself through that stress. Every dollar supports our mission. Belize's U-19 Women's National Team travels to Honduras on Friday to Journalists, environmental activists, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT). 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. To make sure youre having a successful trip, weve listed the safest, and the no-go areas below. FILE PHOTO: Police raid a house after Honduras' President Xiomara Castro (not pictured) mobilised . This includes 2,838,450 Pfizer doses and 3,250,140 Moderna doses. So, yeah. Almost 110,000 Hondurans were returned in 2019, mostly from Mexico. 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.. Shootings are very common in poorer areas too. There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. Youre connected. Abortionisillegalin Honduras in all circumstances. Dont hitchhike ortake lifts from strangers , Other ways to meet fellow travelers and. February 18 2022 Receive free Honduras updates We'll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Honduras news every morning. 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. La Ceibaon the northern coast, with mountains, jungles, and beaches, is a chilled and adventurous area to explore. Traveling around the country is a more complicated matter. So whilst its gettingsafer, its a slow process. How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. In June, police detained and beat bus drivers who were allegedly protesting not being able to work due to lockdown restrictions. Were not going to lie its pretty sketchy. 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. Honduran soldiers wearing facemasks guard the entrance to the city of San Pedro Sula during the coronavirus crisis on April 17, 2020. But this article is written for savvy travellers from the perspective of savvy travellers. The Covid-19 pandemic has further limited access to education for many children. In December 2018, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights found Honduras responsible for failing to investigate Hernndezs death. Your little ones get to see the Mesoamerican Reef,thesecond largest barrier reef in the world. Especiallythrough a tour company. All that in mind, there are places that expats dolive 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. Death threats and gang violence forcing more families to - ReliefWeb San Pedro Sula - Wikipedia Honduras declared a state of exception as extortion cases rise, suspending constitutional rights in cities and deploying thousands of troops. Enjoy your travels! The Gordon Ramsay Honduras Video Just last week the BBC affiliated chef published a video of Honduras. 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. Chronic violence, climate crisis and the impacts of COVID-19 have deepened humanitarian needs and driven displacement. Gangs control areas within the same communities,. HOUSTON Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Houston, with assistance from ERO Tegucigalpa and the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force, removed Rufino Garza Monroy, a twice-deported foreign fugitive from the United States on Feb. 24. Please donate. In Honduras, Police Accused Of Corruption, Killings Hernndez ran for reelection in 2017 a controversial move in Honduras. Youll be able to travel around here with relative ease. There are quite a few cute Airbnbs in Honduras, and as long as you stay in one of the safer neighborhoods, wed say that renting an Airbnb is perfectly safe. FromLimonestoLa Union, fromGualacotoSan Esteban,and fromLa EsperanzatoGraciasThese routes can bedangerous. Nearly 3.3 million people, or one in three Hondurans, were experiencing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity by late 2021. Seth Sidney Berry / SOPA Images/Sipa USA (Sipa via AP Images), Share this via Facebook This perception has grown despite a slight reduction in homicides this year, according to preliminary data, and a significant drop over the past decade since Honduras held the ignominious title of the worlds most violent country. Honduras newspaper, TV channel news, online portal news, and magazine sites are getting popularity day by day around the world. But it was not a tremor, nor a tsunami. We are all about smart travel and were here to help you travel smart too. At nighttime, you should really get a taxi. The Belize Under-19 Women's National Team (U-19 BWNT) is travelling to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on Friday, March 3 to compete in the 2023 Central American Football Union (UNCAF) FIFA Forward Under . There are definitely a fair few pros to solo travel. This isnt one for first-time backpackers. Escaped inmates from Scott County captured in Newton Share this via Printer, As More Climate Chaos Looms, Slashing Fossil Fuels Is Key. Nope. These. Violence in Honduras | Association for a More Just Society Theres no reason to get mixed up with a gang in Honduras. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Locals drive atcrazy speeds on the highways, there are random toll roads that make the cost high (but if you dont take them, alternative routes are often not paved), and there are animals on the road. A ferry also runs betweenTrujilloandGuanaja. This rule especially goes at night. Many people do travel to this particular part of Honduras,even with their families. We need to address these immediate needs too.. Is your phone eSIM ready? These are the safest islands: Once you get off the ferry in Utila you have officially entered an alternate reality. People do it. Dont open the door for anyone, unless youre expecting a visit. Judges continue to face interference, including political pressure, threats, and harassment, from the executive branch, private actors with connections to government, and organized crime. Share this via Email There are an estimated 115,000 gang members. The government had granted him protective measures in January 2019. Traveling here is definitely adventurous, but that doesnt mean its off-limits for solo travelers. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) 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. Abuses by security forces, including alleged collusion with criminal organizations, and weak state institutions, have contributed to the persistence of gang violence. And watch out for bad road conditions after heavy rain. Indeed, Honduras is seeing a plague of femicidesa woman is murdered every 36 hours, mostly by an intimate partner. Reaching primary sources and getting the real story involve extensive fieldwork. In 2018, the government created a special force to fight gangs (Fuerza Nacional Anti Maras y pandillas). Heres what you need to know about the growing crisis in Honduras. Women in Honduras face high levels of gender-based violence. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committees Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. Even if they graduate high school, they can't get a job." It can be a super enriching experience. There is limited data on the effectiveness of the program in Honduras. Is Honduras safe for solo female travelers? Violence in Honduras is usually attributed to gangs and organised crime, but US federal prosecutors have implicated high-level politicians, the military and police in cocaine trafficking to the US . By MARLON GONZLEZ November 25, 2022. Gang violence is a big issue in Honduras. In June, the OHCHR and IACHR jointly expressed concern that the new penal code disproportionately restricts freedoms of speech, press, and association and fails to criminalize torture committed by third parties acting on behalf of state agents. 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. According to the U.N., Honduras has the highest femicide rate in the world. 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. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can seriously get you in trouble. Migrant posing as minor who killed father of four that took him in gets Close, Is Honduras Safe for Travel? It may not exactly be classed as safe, but Honduras shouldnt be ignored. Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency Meant to Fight Crime They forcibly recruit children and sexually abuse women, girls, and LGBT people. 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. Late Thursday, Nov. 24, Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional rights so as to round up gang members. Theyre fairly easy to use, but be aware of the risks. If a restaurant or eatery of any sort looks busy, thats probably because its good, both in terms of taste and. 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. Make sure to check the reviews from previous travellers to check for any problems during their stay. Honduras declares war against gangs - and for control of popular And for transparencys sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. 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. 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. Honduras declared the state of exception for 30 days in 162 neighborhoods, some politicians have already called for it to be extended in duration and territory. Honduras is one of the most important drug trafficking operation centers between South America and Mexico. Rising seas eat away at Honduran fishing village Overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, poor sanitation, beatings, intra-gang violence, and detainee killings are endemic in prisons. Hondurans are warm and welcoming people whohave to live day in, day out with the violence in their country. Read on for more detailed information on how to have a safe trip to Honduras. One good thing I can say about Roatan is that the dive sites are excellent around the island. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. San Pedro Sula, Honduras, has been given the unfortunate title of the most dangerous city in the world. The vaccine doses arrived in the Honduran capital on October 4 2021. Activistssaythegovernments Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists, Human Rights Defenders and Operators of Justice, created in 2015, lacks uniform criteria and is ineffective. Weve made it pretty clear that Honduras isnt the safest country. 18th Street gang - Wikipedia Violence: Honduras reached a . 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. 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. The law also sanctions abortion providers. Honduras has freed dozens of individuals tied to organized crime a year after reforming its money laundering law. ThisCentral Americancountry suffers from what many countries in the region have suffered from or are currently battling with namely corruption, gangs,anddrugs. I agree with Bukele and I want the same here. MUST READ! Is Honduras Safe to Visit in 2022? - The Broke Backpacker Impunity for human rights abuses, violent crime, and corruption remains the norm, even as the prison population has mushroomed. Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. Police were allegedly in the area when private security forces opened fired against several families but did not help the victims, witnesses told the press. Corruption, fear of retribution, and limited access to essential health services . Gangsters killed Maria's sister in Honduras. A note on the door told Just 18 percent of Hondurans have internet access in their homes and a quarter of homes in rural areas dont have electricity. But if the peace in the condemning nations were to rupture the way it has in El Salvador and Honduras, we can bet they . 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. Everyone from children to adults are recruited. In September, two men shot and killed journalist Luis Alonzo Almendares in Comayagua. Namely, being robbed. And that is pretty cool. Nevertheless, the political gains to be had from emulating Bukeles hardline policies may be too enticing to pass up. As expected, the video went viral and the local newspapers made sure they put this trusted news source on their front page. Check in and let people know your plans. 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 crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. 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. As of September 2020, the US had yet to begin deporting any third country nationals to Honduras under the agreement. Poor health infrastructure and limited access to sanitation services has contributed to the spread of the virus. 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. As a result, humanitarian needs for food, health, nutrition and protection have increased. But before arriving, the car stopped and the caravan split. It is not just murder, it's also the shocking numbers of rape, assault, and domestic violence cases, happening with near-total impunity. In the 2010s, Honduras' homicide rate skyrocketed, peaking in 2011 and slowly declining since. We do our best to advise but this info may already be out of date. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. El Salvador and Honduras's response to chaos 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.. There are alsopassenger ferriesif you want to go totheBay Islands. Gang wars and fights with the police are common in this city. Gangs exercise territorial control over neighborhoods and extort residents throughout the country. 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. Transgender woman activist killed in Honduras Here's a list of 14: 1. LGBTpeople in Honduras are frequently the targets of violence and discrimination, according to Human Rights Watch research. Members of the military police of public order patrol a street during a special operation against criminal gangs in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. Its not 100% safe in Honduras. In 2018, the last year for which statistics are available, 60 percent of perpetrators were domestic partners. Just in case, thats No quiero compartir el taxi.. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. In fact, according toInSight Crime there has definitely been around a 26% drop in crime since 2016. Some areas have increased risk. Here is available the most popular Honduras Newspapers list. How to tackle it is another issue. 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. In terms of murder rate, it's the second most violent country in Central or South America, trailing only Venezuela. This coastal city is more welcoming togringos than other places and features beaches fringed bycoral reefsand theres a lot of new development happening here. Weve covered the main safety concerns already, but there are a few more things to know. There is an expat community inTrujillo. Honduras Travel Advisory - United States Department of State Of course, you can book a local tour that can look after your safety during your trip, but make sure your research leaves you feeling absolutely confident in the reliability of the tour you choose. Thats why weve listed and answered the most frequently asked questions on safety in Honduras. Roatan is the more developed, more expensive, and family friendly big brother of Utila. As world leaders met for the United Nations General Assembly, Latin American presidents expressed various concerns about organized crime. 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. By 2020 they want an additional milliontourists annually. Dont eat at tourist traps. A quarter of women and girls become pregnant before turning 18the second-highest rate in Latin America. 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. It provided a family, a sense of belonging. Not only that, but thecorruptionin everything the low to the high levels of the politics here is standard. Here, you will find safety knowledge and advice for travelling Honduras. 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. Share this via WhatsApp But the thing iswomen DO travel alone to Honduras. And what you had, you know, after the coup, while the U.S. did cut assistance, it was very. The new criminal code decriminalized defamation, but retains other crimes of honorincluding insult and slanderwhich have been used to prosecute journalists in the past. Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. World Report 2021: Honduras | Human Rights Watch Ex-Honduras president's arrest puts US war on drugs into focus 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. Over60% of the populationlive below the poverty line. That being said, its still one of the murder capitals in the world, so if youre an inexperienced travellers, you wont be safe. We wouldnt recommend members of the LGBTQ+ community to visit Honduras unless theyre prepared to keep any sort of affection behind closed doors. World Report 2022: Honduras | Human Rights Watch Take theBay Islands,for example. Dangers of Travel to Honduras | USA Today And people do go. 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. You will have to agree on a pricebefore you get in. Members include officers from the police, the military, and the Attorneys General Office. Your laptop deserves a proper pack, and we know a good few! Whilst many people DO live here, it doesnt mean Honduras is safe to live. Instead, buy an eSIM! 2 Norfolk men allegedly killed, planned to eat American Bald Eagle When the time came, the police departed in caravans to gang-infested neighbourhoods throughout the capital city, as part of an effort to combat an apparent rise in extortion.