A study published in April reported that nearly half of teachers in rural areas had not been able to contact the majority of their students. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. The data was compiled by Citizen Council for Public Security, Justice, and Peace, a Mexican. Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. Honduras newspaper, TV channel news, online portal news, and magazine sites are getting popularity day by day around the world. However, if you decide to travel independently, youll face quite a few challenges. We do our best to advise but this info may already be out of date. The inmates, all from Honduras, had reportedly escaped custody yesterday in Scott County. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. To Desafio, the Barrio 18 gang in Honduras was everything. Women in Guatemala: The New Faces of Extortion? And were not going to lie,Honduras doesnt exactly lend itself to solo travel. Gang violence is a big issue in Honduras. Already vulnerable people in Honduras live in an evolving humanitarian crisis, says IRC protection coordinator Zuleyma Chahin. But traveling there is possible, of course. Donate now to support the IRC's life-changing work in Honduras, across northern Central America, and worldwide. 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. Of course, while it's not ever good to generalize an. Whether thats with friends and family back home, or with accommodation staff, or both. Police raid a house in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on 8 December. So how do they do it?. And when it comes to the extreme violence of Honduras, thosevery highfigures come from gang violence. That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. Newton County Sheriff's Office was involved with . 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 . In September, the OHCHR and IACHR expressed concern regarding the continued spread of the virus in prisons. Just 18 percent of Hondurans have internet access in their homes and a quarter of homes in rural areas dont have electricity. The mission in early December was ostensibly to raid a casa loca, an abandoned home used by gang members. 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.. And watch out for bad road conditions after heavy rain. Her words echo those of Bukele, who has railed against human rights groups, government watchdogs and journalists who have questioned his tactics, saying that they are on the side of the gangs. The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. There are many daily newspapers in Honduras where that constantly provide the latest updated news and information. Honduras has been through a lot in recent years. It is honestly NOT safe to drink the water in Honduras. How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. Use these tips to reduce the risk, but we also recommend that you pack some medication fit for a bad stomach. Dont expect to discover an undeveloped private island. This is essentially anunsafecountry. Marred by corruption and abuse, the judiciary and police remain largely ineffective. Schools were closed from March onward due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Wed,03/01/23-8:24AM, 1,088 Reads 16,082 Statewide. Hondurans are warm and welcoming people whohave to live day in, day out with the violence in their country. 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. This rule especially goes at night. Since 2017, the government has operated centers to support returned migrants. We strive to provide the most relevant travel information on the web and always appreciate input from our readers (nicely, please!). So when it comes to safetyin Honduras, we think youllgenerallybe fine, especially in the Bay Islands. 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. Human rights defenders have said they will monitor the measures. Everyone from children to adults are recruited. There's no avoiding violence in Honduras, even at home. Prosecutors and whistleblowers have received death threats. Honduras is one of themurder capitalsof the world. These drug trafficking gangs rule peoples lives. In January 2020, the government shut down the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH). REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez/File Photo. Every 18 hours, a woman is a victim of a violent death. Sometimes the drivers are assaulted. 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. Estimates of the number of active gang members range from 5,000 to 40,000. 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. Support focuses primarily on reintegration into the labor market, rather than assistance for people who fled seeking international protection. This new donation is in addition to the 81,900 doses of Pfizer . Not only that, but thecorruptionin everything the low to the high levels of the politics here is standard. 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 gangs amid high levels of violence. Its dangerous there.. 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. SafetyWing is convenient, cheap, and trouble-free Insurance was never this easy! 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. Weve covered the main safety concerns already, but there are a few more things to know. The former vice president has become the Democratic front-runner with primary victories across the country. Please support our mission investigating organized crime. Xiomara Castros crackdown on gangs is also an attempt to counter allegations the government hasnt done enough to combat crime. Seeing the world without anyone to answer to, getting to challenge yourself andgrow as a person. The IRC is calling for stronger international cooperation to address the humanitarian crisis that displaces hundreds of thousands from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala every year. Share this via WhatsApp Share this via Twitter 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. 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. Its not a good idea to go out to bars and clubs by yourself. While there were a few violent crime incidents, most travelers have a safe and pleasant stay. 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. Honduras declared a state of exception as extortion cases rise, suspending constitutional rights in cities and deploying thousands of troops. By BRENT MAZE. Violent crime is at its peak in Honduras. Gangs kill, disappear, rape, or displace those who resist. Honduras isnt exactly what wed callsafe. The new code also includes alternatives to detention for low-level crimes, including partial prison sentences and penalties that allow for conditional release. Theres a lot of fresh fish in places like, Steer clear of anything that you cant peel yourself. 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. At nighttime, you should really get a taxi. These. 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. We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact. (Reporting by Orfa Mejia in Tegucigalpa; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Leslie Adler). Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2017 was 40.98, a 26.23% decline from 2016. In June 2020, a new criminal code came into effect. Clearly, with the pandemic, that goal wasnt reached, but its not been forgotten either. Sign in How Gangs Control Honduras VICE News 8.42M subscribers. Honduras, in general, is open and welcoming to children. 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. 20 Top Safety Tips for Traveling to Honduras. Xiomara should hurry up and go after all those gang members, said Isidora Varela, 70, at her market stand in downtown Tegucigalpa. But Honduras is far from Eden. Juan Orlando Hernndez extolled his achievements as. In 2013, Honduras reformed the penal code to recognize femicide as a crime. The first 2,000 inmates were transferred to El Salvador's new mega-prison for hardcore gangbangers. 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. Here's a list of 14: 1. Thats why we listed the no-go areas in Honduras below. A local TV correspondent needed to do a live shot for one of the countrys most-watched news programs. People here live in pretty supreme poverty 60%of the population living in poverty really isa lot of people. Police chief Gustavo Sanchez said the decision, based on what he told journalists were good results during December, will allow continued reductions in crime and violence. Get your accommodation to either recommenda good company or just book one for you. Domestic and sexual violence are also widespread, with women and children bearing the brunt. After a 2019 wave of gang violence that killed 37 detainees, President Hernndez declared a state of emergency and put prisons under military control. Corruption, crime, and gang activity inhibits the ability to conduct business activities freely and dissuades entrepreneurs from establishing new businesses. A Honduran woman and her children manage to cross the remnants of a bridge destroyed by Hurricane Iota. Share this via Reddit Individuals and state agents continute to threaten and attack journalists, press freedom groups report. It wont be down to the wire cutting edge info on the most current events, but it is layered in the expertise of veteran travellers. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Theres more nature here than you can shake a stick at. It has experienced one of the world's highest homicide rates, with multiple forms of violence linked to drug trafficking groups. Disclaimer: Safety conditions change all over the world on a daily basis. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to twomain gangs:Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) andBarrio 18. We are going to eradicate extortion in every corner of our country.. Poverty, violence, and insecurity are the main reasons for the high crime rate. This is apretty safe area to visit. One example:tajadas(fried plantains, topped with cabbage and served with ground beef). Gangs attacking other gangs. Other ways to share A quarter of women and girls become pregnant before turning 18the second-highest rate in Latin America. As of September 2020, the US had yet to begin deporting any third country nationals to Honduras under the agreement. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. 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. 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. 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. Certain routes that these take have been the target ofarmed attacks. Share this via Email Honduras hasn't specified exactly what the state of emergency would entail, but normally such measures temporarily suspend normal rules regulating arrests and searches; sometime limits on freedom of speech and assembly are implemented as well. And this area is great for children. 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. Two private security officers were charged. Seth Sidney Berry / SOPA Images/Sipa USA (Sipa via AP Images), Share this via Facebook Travel smart and make sure your safety and security is your number one priority. 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. It suspends some Constitutional rights and gives police more powers to arrest and hold suspects. Simple as that. 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. 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. Chances are it wasnt cooked with too much care. January 26, 2022 At a glance Population: 10.1 million 2.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid 2023, The Broke Backpacker. The likelihood of you getting caught up in all that relies very much on you being somehow related to one of the gangs. For example, theBay Islandsaresaferthan the mainland. There is only anecdotal evidence of the scale of the problem because so few extortion victims report the crime, making a statistical analysis impossible. But it was not a tremor, nor a tsunami. 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. Is Honduras safe for solo female travelers? The vaccine doses arrived in the Honduran capital on October 4 2021. InSight Crime's 2022 Homicide Round-Up covers more countries than ever before, with a major expansion into nations of the Caribbean. Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Biodiversity is a huge part of Honduras. Feb. 21, 2023, at 6:11 p.m. Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency for Second Time. 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. An audit of government purchases of medical supplies to fight Covid-19 revealed supplies worth tens of millions of dollars had gone missing. As world leaders met for the United Nations General Assembly, Latin American presidents expressed various concerns about organized crime. 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. UNHCR; Posted 22 Dec 2022 Originally published 22 . Locals have to pay war taxes which keeps the poverty rate high as well. City busestravel around the cities and towns themselves. The effort comes amid complaints by business owners, the transportation sector and ordinary Hondurans that extortion by criminals has risen in recent months. Visiting Honduras right now is as safe as it ever was:not very. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. There have been protests due tocontested election results in late 2017. 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. Almendares had repeatedly received death threats since 2017 in relation to his reporting. 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. The story 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison was published by the Associated Press on 2022-07-04 18:29:24. 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. Lots of travelers stick to bottled water,but please dont. They are taxed by gangs. Hardline policies, meanwhile, are popular because people think that theyre going to work but inevitably the track record is that they havent, said Malone. Get a quote below or read our in-depth review! Overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, poor sanitation, beatings, intra-gang violence, and detainee killings are endemic in prisons. It may not exactly be classed as safe, but Honduras shouldnt be ignored. Members of the military police of public order get ready during a special operation in Tegucigalpa on 6 December. The state of emergency, in place since Dec. 6 in 165 areas of Honduras' largest two cities, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, has been expanded to 235 of the country's 298 municipalities, the national police said. They practice "war taxing", which is essentially just demanding money from people. As of August 2020, more than 21,000 people were detained in prisons with capacity for just under 11,000. Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. Please donate. Excessive use of force by police and deployment of the military in public security operations continued in 2020. Take theBay Islands,for example. It is not just murder, it's also the shocking numbers of rape, assault, and domestic violence cases, happening with near-total impunity. More information. Gangsplay a big part of life here. The poverty resulting from all this is what youll have to watch out for. All of these are in Santa Barbara Department, which also sees hijackings aroundTela, La Ceiba, andEl Progresoas well asTrujillo. Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market andditch the plastic. Honduras isnt different from lots of other great backpacking countries in that youre never absolutely safe from food-borne illness. For now, there are 15,000 taxis who want your attention. Along with Honduras, the IRC also identified Haiti and Venezuela as the countries most at risk of experiencing deteriorating humanitarian crises in 2022 in Latin America and the Caribbean. All that in mind, there are places that expats dolive in Honduras. The media and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reported several cases of abusive police enforcement of the Covid-19 lockdown. Sexual violence and oppression are frequent tragedies here. Politicians are manipulated by criminals or other politicians. All rights reserved. We are all about smart travel and were here to help you travel smart too. 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. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 36.33, a 13.52% decline from 2019. And if youre visiting as part of a tour, then youre likely to stay safe. Drug trafficking gangs, corruption, and extreme poverty keep Honduras down. Every dollar supports our mission. You can also visit the island through a guided tour, which will add another layer of safety to your trip. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. Efforts to reform public-security institutions have stalled. Keeping yourself away from any situation to do with them will be a good way to keep yourself pretty much safe. In January 2020, the OHCHR released a report saying that the armed forces and military police had used excessiveeven lethalforce in response to the protests that followed the 2017 election. Download Historical Data. This coastal city is more welcoming togringos than other places and features beaches fringed bycoral reefsand theres a lot of new development happening here. Nearly 3.3 million people, or one in three Hondurans, were experiencing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity by late 2021. Public buildings, transportation, and information and communication services open to the public are not fully accessible to people with disabilities. 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. Honduran soldiers wearing facemasks guard the entrance to the city of San Pedro Sula during the coronavirus crisis on April 17, 2020. 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.