Other ways to share Lots of travelers stick to bottled water,but please dont. Between 2005 and 2019, 34 percent of women who were 20-24 years old had married when they were 15-19, the UN Population Fund reported in 2020. Its dangerous there.. To Desafio, the Barrio 18 gang in Honduras was everything. We provide cash to help people meet basic needs. 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. Again, thank you! Late Thursday, Nov. 24, Castro proposed a measure to limit constitutional rights so as to round up gang members. You can also visit the island through a guided tour, which will add another layer of safety to your trip. But travelers DO take these buses. That means suncream, sun-hats, and limiting time in the sun. Inside Honduras' most dangerous gangs 127,396 views Mar 8, 2020 1.2K Dislike Share Save Sky News 5.19M subscribers Warning: this report contains blurred images of dead bodies which some viewers. As a result, humanitarian needs for food, health, nutrition and protection have increased. Get your accommodation to either recommenda good company or just book one for you. 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). An audit of government purchases of medical supplies to fight Covid-19 revealed supplies worth tens of millions of dollars had gone missing. We need to address these immediate needs too.. STANTON COUNTY, Neb. Chances are, if you are arriving via a cruise ship, you will be safe. Until his life grew increasingly violent. 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. But if youre thinking about it, here are some tips. As of August, prisons had reported 1,700 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 38 deaths. The island attracts a very different crowd indeed. The storms, among other shocks, led to higher levels of food scarcity while weakening the states capacity to cope with displacement. Youll be able to travel around here with relative ease. As the camera rolled, the police began stopping vehicles passing by in the background, running ID cards and frisking occupants. While Honduras is not seeing the political armed conflict common in most Watchlist countries this year, criminal gang violence is widespread. Police raid a house in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on 8 December. Officials flew Garza, a 48-year-old . 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. There is no exact number of the exodus, but according to the United States Customs and Border Protection Service, in 2020, they arrested 40,091 Hondurans, who were trying to enter the United States irregularly and until September 2021, this amount increased to 98,554 Honduran arrests, more than double the previous year. 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. You will have to agree on a pricebefore you get in. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. 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.. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. From 2011 to 2017, the number of killings in Honduras actually dropped, from 87 per 100,000 to 44. Plus theres Copan: the ancientMayanarchaeological site, complete with amazing sculptures. You should ask locals on the best routes to take to any given place. 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. By 2020 they want an additional milliontourists annually. Most who can access the internet do so on their phones. But Honduras is far from Eden. 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 Private Sector and Anti-Extortion Police: An Unholy Alliance? Honduran women face daily struggles. All of these are in Santa Barbara Department, which also sees hijackings aroundTela, La Ceiba, andEl Progresoas well asTrujillo. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File Photo. Sat Navs might not always tell you the best route. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. 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. 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. via REUTERS. Many people do travel to this particular part of Honduras,even with their families. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Biodiversity is a huge part of Honduras. That said, the development that has taken place has not totally sucked the island dry of its charm. 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. Two private security officers were charged. Also in February, the OAS special rapporteur on freedom of expression called on Honduras to decriminalize defamation and to properly investigate killings of journalists. It was Zelaya's intention to seek a second term that coup leaders. The coastline of Cedeno, a fishing village in southern Honduras, looks like it was hit by an earthquake - houses, businesses and clubs stand in ruins. 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. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. Security Minister Oscar Alvarez says police have identified two suspects among the five attackers . Download Historical Data. Human rights defenders have said they will monitor the measures. We can't put up any longer with workers being killed and paying extortion, Lanza said. And this area is great for children. 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. All rights reserved. Iris Argentina lvarez of the Cerro Escondido peasant cooperative, which has been working to recover land currently owned by a sugar company, was killed and three people were injured during a violent and allegedly illegal eviction in Choluteca in April 2020. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2017 was 40.98, a 26.23% decline from 2016. This helps keep everyone in poverty. In El Salvador, a Thin Line Between Community Policing and Vigilantism. Sign up for our newsletter and get the best travel tips delivered right to your inbox. Allegations that senior politicians had been benefiting financially from the drug trade contributed to the unrest. Juan Aguilar, 41, and his wife, Margaret Wilson, 39, both of San Leandro, face charges of kidnapping to commit a sex crime, human trafficking of a minor, forcible rape, and forcible oral copulation. Often, people with disabilities are threatened and subjected to extortion by criminal gangs. 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. 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. Get a quote below or read our in-depth review! In January 2020, the government shut down the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH). 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. Thats mainly to visit islands like Roatan. The primary drivers of this violence are gangs like the Barrio 18 and MS13, which concentrate their criminal activities in urban areas and recruit young people, many of whom are suffering from widespread economic inequality and a lack of opportunity. Journalists, environmental activists,lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals,and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted forviolence. Use these tips to reduce the risk, but we also recommend that you pack some medication fit for a bad stomach. In 2018, the government created a special force to fight gangs (Fuerza Nacional Anti Maras y pandillas). And taxi driversprobably wont have enough change to cover a big bill, socarry small denominations. Honduras newspaper, TV channel news, online portal news, and magazine sites are getting popularity day by day around the world. Women in Honduras face high levels of gender-based violence. As of August 2020, more than 21,000 people were detained in prisons with capacity for just under 11,000. This is apretty safe area to visit. 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. But its pretty damn special too. 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. 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. 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. Im nervous, repeated a young police officer driving a pickup truck crowded with heavily armed special forces officers. Instead, buy an eSIM! In April, the office expressed concern regarding accusations of excesive use of force by state security agents enforcing the governments Covid-19 restrictions. 2023, The Broke Backpacker. The men remained missing at time of writing. In fact, according toInSight Crime there has definitely been around a 26% drop in crime since 2016. Wed,03/01/23-8:24AM, 1,088 Reads 16,082 Statewide. Latest News Profile Criminal Actors Investigations News Latest News Wed say only experienced, intrepid travelers should tackle this one alone. Your little ones get to see the Mesoamerican Reef,thesecond largest barrier reef in the world. And watch out for bad road conditions after heavy rain. Violence has long ruled here. Investigating organized crime is an expensive and often risky enterprise. So youll likely escape having to pay war tax (or facing the consequences). 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. It can be a super enriching experience. In June, police detained and beat bus drivers who were allegedly protesting not being able to work due to lockdown restrictions. If you use our guide, do your own research, and practise common sense, you will have a safe trip to Honduras. Youll need to be a confident traveler. Radio taxisare always a better option than hailing one off the street. There are 37 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, and all 18 provinces are. Honduras isnt exactly what wed callsafe. Of 25,000 gang members in 2012, nearly a fifth were children, UNICEF estimated. In Honduras, steps were taken to demilitarize public security forces and a community policing model was announced, with the hope being that the measures would increase public trust in an institution that has historically been dogged by corruption and infiltrated by the very same organized crime groups it is supposed to combat. Domestic and sexual violence are also widespread, with women and children bearing the brunt. We are on the frontlines providing critical aid to crisis-affected people in more than 40 countries, including places on the 2022 Emergency Watchlist. Click here to read the full story: 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison. Gangs control areas within the same communities,. There are some safety pointsthat travelers should know for anywhere they travel, but Honduras requires these special considerations. His security-at-all costs approach, and the reductions in violence and crime that have come with it, have found a captive audience in Honduras, but caused consternation among civil society, and closed down discussion of other options. 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 . Youll also have to take care that your children dont stay in the sun fortoo long. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File PhotoReuters. This includes 2,838,450 Pfizer doses and 3,250,140 Moderna doses. 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 government relies heavily on the military for public security. Then there are quite a lot of gang wars as well. Excessive use of force by police and deployment of the military in public security operations continued in 2020. There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. Gangsplay a big part of life here. In the 2010s, Honduras' homicide rate skyrocketed, peaking in 2011 and slowly declining since. Wed classify it as generally hazardous. Theres no reason to get mixed up with a gang in Honduras. The Supreme Court had upheld Romeros 10-year sentencein January 2020. Honduras has been through a lot in recent years. There is an expat community inTrujillo. Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency against gang crimes like extortion. A law prohibiting same-sex couples from adopting childrentook effect in 2019. These. 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. We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact. 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. Extortion in the Northern Triangle is predominantly done from prisons, yet prison populations have been on the rise. But like any war, it isnt just a battle against an enemy, but also for control of the popular narrative in this case, an attempt to counter allegations that the government has not done enough to combat rampant crime. City busestravel around the cities and towns themselves. The most extensive database on organized crime in the Americas. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Dont put yourself through that stress. Although there is a law that provides higher penalties for bias-based crimes, including on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, the Attorney Generals office told Human Rights Watch in September 2020 that no one has been convicted under the law. Hardline policies, meanwhile, are popular because people think that theyre going to work but inevitably the track record is that they havent, said Malone. Check in and let people know your plans. Even if they graduate high school, they can't get a job." Almendares had repeatedly received death threats since 2017 in relation to his reporting. You can definitely push your luck by staying in the wrong neighborhood as well. According to the U.N., Honduras has the highest femicide rate in the world. Access to health care services was a concern in Honduras prior to the pandemic, particularly for rural and economically marginalized communities. Theyre old U.S. school buses that are poorly maintained,andovercrowded. And were not going to lie,Honduras doesnt exactly lend itself to solo travel. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A . Look and see where locals are eating. And if youre visiting as part of a tour, then youre likely to stay safe. Honduras Honduras declares war against gangs - and for control of popular narrative Xiomara Castro's crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasn't done. How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Gang wars and fights with the police are common in this city. Honduras is exposed to other climate shocks as well. 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. In certain areas, yes Honduras is safe to travel for families. Its prettyextreme. ; Children and Adolescents - Honduras has the highest youth homicide rate in the world. There are alsopassenger ferriesif you want to go totheBay Islands. 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. 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. They face violence from gangs, the national civil police and the military police, members of the public, and their own families, as well as extortion by gangs and discrimination in schools and in the workplace. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to two main gangs : Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. We are going to be covering a whole lot of topics in this epic Honduras safety guide. It is honestly NOT safe to drink the water in Honduras. Make sure to check the reviews from previous travellers to check for any problems during their stay. 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. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. 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. Drug trafficking gangs, corruption, and extreme poverty keep Honduras down. So, yeah. 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. The vaccine doses arrived in the Honduran capital on October 4 2021. The code also includes poorly constructed provisions that could lead to violations of the rights to assemble and protest and an overly broad definition of association to engage in terrorism, which could be used to criminalize and disproportionately punish behaviors that fall far short of what most reasonable observers would consider terrorism. For example, theBay Islandsaresaferthan the mainland. As expected, the video went viral and the local newspapers made sure they put this trusted news source on their front page. Public buildings, transportation, and information and communication services open to the public are not fully accessible to people with disabilities. Every dollar supports our mission. This has a pretty good expat community 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. You can catch a ferry from the mainland atLa Ceibato eitherUtilaorRoatan. Reaching primary sources and getting the real story involve extensive fieldwork. Support focuses primarily on reintegration into the labor market, rather than assistance for people who fled seeking international protection. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to twomain gangs:Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) andBarrio 18. Members include officers from the police, the military, and the Attorneys General Office.