Over60% of the populationlive below the poverty line. Reconsider travel to Honduras due to crime. San Pedro Sula is the most dangerous city, not just in Honduras, but in the whole world. Prolonged droughts have undermined food production, while in October 2021 a wildfire in the Guanaja region affected thousands. Members of the military police of public order patrol a street during a special operation against criminal gangs in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. Its prettyextreme. Two private security officers were charged. Crisis in Honduras: Ongoing violence and climate shocks Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committee's Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduran authorities reported on Monday the discovery of more than 1.6 million coca leaf bushes in the most important. In Honduras, the types of danger include, but are not limited to, violent gang activity, trafficking, rape, street crime and armed robbery. Meanwhile, as Guatemalas electoral season heats up ahead of next years presidential election, some candidates have signaled that if elected, they would also implement hardline policies. Click here to read the full story: 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison. In Honduras, one of the most violent countries in the world, 60 percent of deaths are attributed to organized crime. 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. 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. As of September 2020, the US had yet to begin deporting any third country nationals to Honduras under the agreement. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most-watched television news channel for 18 consecutive years. Domestic and sexual violence are also widespread, with women and children bearing the brunt. Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. This is when things can get sketchy. Hondurass prison population has doubled over the past decade, partly due to a 2013 reform that greatly expanded the use of mandatory pre-trial detention. Human rights defenders have said they will monitor the measures. Thats mainly to visit islands like Roatan. We can't put up any longer with workers being killed and paying extortion, Lanza said. The likelihood of you getting caught up in all that relies very much on you being somehow related to one of the gangs. The inmates, all from Honduras, had reportedly escaped custody yesterday in . Seeing the world without anyone to answer to, getting to challenge yourself andgrow as a person. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. Theres alsoLa Ceiba. Between December 2019, when prisons were placed under military control, and September 2020, 54 people died in eight prison incidents, the IACHR and OHCHR report. The police chief in Honduras reported 356 fewer homicides between Dec. 6, 2022 and Feb 20, 2023, compared to the period Dec. 6, 2021 to Feb. 20, 2022. 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. If youre not on a highwayyoull probably need a 44. 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. And this area is great for children. Heres what you need to know about the growing crisis in Honduras. Security Minister Oscar Alvarez says police have identified two suspects among the five attackers . Get your accommodation to either recommenda good company or just book one for you. The vaccine doses arrived in the Honduran capital on October 4 2021. The government of Honduras is committed to attracting more tourists. 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. A law prohibiting same-sex couples from adopting childrentook effect in 2019. 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. 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. Honduras is exposed to other climate shocks as well. It was focused on the security, or lack of security in Honduras. As VP Kamala Harris prepares to visit #Honduras for the presidential inauguration, we call for international cooperation and funding to respond to the humanitarian crisis displacing thousands in the country. Members of the military police of public order get ready during a special operation in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. This is apretty safe area to visit. Is Honduras safe for solo female travelers? But Honduras is far from Eden. Honduras has freed dozens of individuals tied to organized crime a year after reforming its money laundering law. 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. The men remained missing at time of writing. Theres a lot of fresh fish in places like, Steer clear of anything that you cant peel yourself. Hardline policies, meanwhile, are popular because people think that theyre going to work but inevitably the track record is that they havent, said Malone. Theyre run by private companies, obviously, and aremore expensivethan public buses. Because of human rights, crime has gone on so long, because human rights defend the criminal, and it shouldnt be like that, she said. 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. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Womenand girls who terminate pregnancies face prison sentences of up to six years. Gangs attacking other gangs. There is limited data on the effectiveness of the program in Honduras. Youll need to be a confident traveler. But it was not a tremor, nor a tsunami. Check in and let people know your plans. If youdo get one in the street, ensure that you tell the taxi driver that you dont want to share the taxi. We need to address these immediate needs too.. For Varela, who said she had never been a victim of extortion, but heard a lot about it as of late, human rights are just an obstacle. Every dollar supports our mission. The new criminal code decriminalized defamation, but retains other crimes of honorincluding insult and slanderwhich have been used to prosecute journalists in the past. This coastal city is more welcoming togringos than other places and features beaches fringed bycoral reefsand theres a lot of new development happening here. There is only anecdotal evidence of the scale of the problem because so few extortion victims report the crime, making a statistical analysis impossible. Or gangs attacking Honduran citizens for not paying war tax. 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. January 26, 2022 At a glance Population: 10.1 million 2.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid 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. Honduras recorded 3,496 murders in 2020. A ferry also runs betweenTrujilloandGuanaja. 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. So youll likely escape having to pay war tax (or facing the consequences). But traveling there is possible, of course. 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). Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. This rule especially goes at night. 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. Locals have to pay war taxes which keeps the poverty rate high as well. We hope these measures work and remain in place.. Whilst many people DO live here, it doesnt mean Honduras is safe to live. This has a pretty good expat community too. 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. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. 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. While there were a few violent crime incidents, most travelers have a safe and pleasant stay. Honduran people are friendly and welcoming. Indeed, Honduras is seeing a plague of femicidesa woman is murdered every 36 hours, mostly by an intimate partner. Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. The state of emergency, in place 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. Its a massive issue. Abortionisillegalin Honduras in all circumstances. Even if they graduate high school, they can't get a job." TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. 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. There is an expat community inTrujillo. In 2014, the United Nations reported that 95 percent of cases of sexual violence and femicide in Honduras were never even investigated. Lanza said that 50 drivers have been killed so far in 2022, and a total of 2,500 have been killed over the last 15 years. So whilst its gettingsafer, its a slow process. STANTON COUNTY, Neb. Wed,03/01/23-8:24AM, 1,088 Reads 16,082 Statewide. 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. 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.. Honduras isnt different from lots of other great backpacking countries in that youre never absolutely safe from food-borne illness. 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. A collection of moments during and after Barack Obama's presidency. Disclaimer: Safety conditions change all over the world on a daily basis. Youll be able to travel around here with relative ease. Transgender woman activist killed in Honduras However, whilst its quite dangerous, the government is promoting tourism in Honduras. They forcibly recruit children and sexually abuse women, girls, and LGBT people. Corruption, crime, and gang activity inhibits the ability to conduct business activities freely and dissuades entrepreneurs from establishing new businesses. Activistssaythegovernments Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists, Human Rights Defenders and Operators of Justice, created in 2015, lacks uniform criteria and is ineffective. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Biodiversity is a huge part of Honduras. And watch out for bad road conditions after heavy rain. These. Everyone from children to adults are recruited. However, if you decide to travel independently, youll face quite a few challenges. The government had granted him protective measures in January 2019. Journalists, environmental activists,lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals,and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted forviolence. 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. More than half of detained men and two-thirds of detained women were in pretrial detention. In September, the OHCHR and IACHR expressed concern regarding the continued spread of the virus in prisons. 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. The Bay Islands are the only palace in Honduras that can (kind of) be considered somewhat safe. Honestly? Please support our mission investigating organized crime. But if you meet the local ladies andlearn about their livesyoure going to have a VERY enriching experience on your hands. And there are roads that have higher levels ofattacks,including carjacking. The poverty resulting from all this is what youll have to watch out for. Since 2017, the government has operated centers to support returned migrants. The island attracts a very different crowd indeed. If you use our guide, do your own research, and practise common sense, you will have a safe trip to Honduras. 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. He estimated the companies and drivers have paid an average of about $10 million per month to the gangs in order to operate.